Evermore
by R.J.North
Summary: Anna thought nothing could surprise her anymore. But then again, she hadn't seem a talking raccoon or a walking tree before, seen strange alien glyphs, nor has she ever nearly been killed by an android before. So perhaps the world would continue to show insane things her way as she continued to search for her missing husband.
1. Alien Again

**(Finally let me do this! lol)  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just own Anna. **

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Chapter 1

Alien Again

It was a lovely August afternoon. The cool breeze prevented heat from claiming the title of blistering. Instead, it was soul warming. Flowers were in full bloom, bees buzzing about, birds chirping. The air held the smell of freshly cut grass on the wind.

Or, at least, that's how the lady at the bus stop described the day. To Anna, she just politely nodded to the elderly woman, and would glance to Thor on her other side silently begging him to rescue her from the conversation.

Thor was more amused by the day than the lady was. For some reason, he was completely fascinated with how fat bees were, and how their tiny wings managed to carry their fat bodies. Anna just rolled her eyes. He'd been on Earth a while now, but still, everything entertained his mind so. It had to be nice to be amused so easily like that.

They were in England, and for once, as described by the crazy old bat, that it was a beautiful day, no rain or cloud in the sky. Maybe it if had been raining, Anna would have avoided this whole conversation altogether. But with her luck, of course it had to be hot. She'd take the Belgian winter in World War II, and cuddling on uncomfortable cots with her husband over the humid heat any day.

It had taken much convincing on both Anna and Thor's part to get Odin to let Anna return to Asgard to use the library there. Anna's convincing was Thor, and Thor was the one that had to convince his father to let Anna go. It was weird though, as much as Thor said he had to ask, the father gave in rather quickly, and they hadn't spoken in person. Perhaps it had been because Anna had taken part in protecting the realms from the Dark Elves.

In the end, he permitted it. That was what the two were about to do. Since SHIELD had fallen apart and no longer had the resources it once did, Anna flew to England (funded generously by Tony) and now had to take the bus, seeing as renting a car meant leaving it someplace that could most likely get a ticket while she was on Asgard for who knew how long. And Anna wasn't going to let Thor drive, that was for sure.

So the two were taking a bus out to a rarely used football field (Soccer, thank you very much) so that Heimdall could, as Anna said, "Beam me up, Scotty." Of course, the Birost wasn't exactly that, but she didn't get to say her geeky line all too often. Once they got their, they went out to the middle of the field, where Thor called out to the man that saw all.

Traveling via the Bifrost was not a pleasant experience, Anna was reminded. She nearly puked all over the rainbow floor the second she dropped to her knees. Thor stepped away, fearing for his shoes. Heimdall seemed to get a kick out of it though.

"Good to see you again, Young One," Heimdall greeted.

"You too," Anna muttered, enthusiastically waving to him as her forehead pressed to the cool ground. Thor eventually helped Anna to her feet. She turned to him and smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, for doing this for me," she said.

Thor nodded. "Anything I can do to help a friend," he said. "And think of it as a wedding present. Stark informed me that you have been wed."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Well, thanks, I guess," she said, though really she was thinking, _Some wedding present._ The guy was Prince, you'd think he'd chip in for something a bit more expensive than a free ride to Asgard. Oh, well, none of that really mattered to Anna.

"The Guards will show you to the library," Thor said, nodding to the two guards making their way up to the Bifrost chamber. "When you are finished, Heimdall will bring you back safely to Earth whenever you so desire. Though I do recommend you stay confined indoors, and do not wonder. There is much of Asgard you are not familiar with."

"Sound good to me," Anna said. "Thank you, Thor. Really. This is really helpful."

Thor nodded and patted her shoulder before turning back to get sent back home. Once Anna saw him off, giving Heimdall a friendly wink, she followed the guards to the library where Anna's mission really began.

After Anna had finally decided that going back to SHIELD was the path for her after Hydra took down the organization, she was placed on a modified leave of absence by Coulson. She was on a specific mission to do research on any kind of blue alien she could find. Why? Because during the Chitauri invasion and Anna killed Phil, she really had killed Phil. The only reason that he's alive now was because of an experiment that took place with the carcass of an alien race that happened to be blue. Whatever they got from that alien allowed them to bring Phil back from the dead.

And now it was driving him to draw these bizarre symbols, so it was Anna's job to try and see what those were. And she had to figure it out before he went completely insane. So no pressure.

There were several blue species that Anna had managed to read up on a bit to start with. Interdicted were migratory humanoid aliens. From the drawing they had strong jaws, and really pointy fin like ears, and yellow eyes. The Sarks looked a lot like them, accept their eyes were not yellow, and their ears were simply just pointed.

Pheragots were massive semi-humanoid creatures. They were large, about ten feet tall. Smaller than the hulk, but bigger than human. They had massive muscles, and extraordinary strength. However, the passage emphasised that though they were strong, they were a rather wimpy race. When punched, they would cry. So chances are they weren't the invading species they had found.

Levians looked exactly like humans, except for their blue skin. Their home planets was risk with resources, but they were not very protective of them. Their mindless actions caused their world to go into disaster. In order to ensure the survival of the species, they sent a fraction of their race to live on a world-ship called Lavianon. Even though, however, they continued to stupidly use up their resources, which lead to them leaving on a primitive state aboard a crippled, drifting ship.

The Kree were a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic race of bold blue-skinned humanoids from the planet Hala. The Kree were a race who followed strict, militaristic lifestyle. They were rulers of the Kree Empire, a large, interstellar imperial group that encompasses various planets. From what Anna read, they didn't not have the best relationship with Asgardians. They saw them as deceitful and savage.

Frost Giants were pretty much out of the question, so Anna didn't really do too much more research into them. She found it interesting, and she would've read more into them had she had more time, but Anna was a bit more pressed for time so she couldn't. Lastly, before she was too tired to keep going, was the Centaurians, which had nothing to do with Centaurs. There wasn't really too much on them, except that at some point in time, they had been experimented on.

By the point she got to the Centaurians, Anna's eyes itched, her back ached, and her head was pounding. She had spent almost all night in there. She glanced down at the watch on her wrist and realized that it was around three in the morning.

Finding much more probably wouldn't be possible at this point for her. And even with all the information she had found, she found nothing other than Frost Giants being on Earth, and that was something she already knew. But from Phil's description, it definitely wasn't a Frost Giant.

Exhausted, Anna left her spot in the library and made her way towards the rainbow bridge. It was technically quite a ways away from the castle, so she was left to trek through parts of Asgard that she hadn't really been to yet. She had seen them her first time around, and even as she was escorted to the library, but she had been more preoccupied with her thoughts on finding out who had previously been to Earth.

In the black morning hours, the stars were visible over head. It was a beautiful sight, and Asgard, of course, was always stunning. It was far roudier than she remembered the walk being though. Many species of aliens were out and about, not just Asgardians. She supposed it was prime time for the drunks to start heading back home.

Anna was just glad she kinda looked like she fit in. While she was on her way to the library, a very small older woman ran into her, and recognised the outfit she was currently wearing: the Asgardian garb she had been given the first time she had visited. The black and blue elegant warriors outfit included a tight black corset, while the inside color, the space that was left in the front where the lacing was done, was a deep navy blue. Running up the front of the bodice was lavender lace. Over her breasts was the protective breast plate, hanging with metal straps hidden under the lavender cloth. It also had two pieces of sheer cloth that were dropped off the side to the middle of her forearms, and into the back of the breast plate. Around her arms were long sleeves. The top portion of which, the part of the arm that faces outward, was navy blue, while the underside of her arms were black.

On her lower half, instead of a full bodied skirt like many of the women she had seen walking around Asgard, Anna was left in tight, light navy blue legging like material that fit perfectly, and showed off the curves of her legs, and showed how small, but muscular she was. They fit perfectly and went down into the strong black boots she had on her feet, that went all the way up to the middle of her calves. That wasn't all though. Draped around her waist was a lavender clothe. It was brought around from the back, and then tied in the front, between her belly button and the bone of front of her pelvis. It didn't drape long, just far enough to cover her rear (though not that it needed to be covered, she was wearing pants, after all), and was draped loosely to two-thirds the way up her on her thighs. It came around to the front where it was tired. The strands of the excess material hung down like a certain, though the material was short enough where it only draped down to the same length that it was draping to her thighs. Her SHIELD badge onto one of the straps hold the breast plate, and hid her gun under the draping cloth around her waist.

Apparently, she was the woman that had designed the outfit (the Royal Clothing Adviser, or something along those lines she told Anna), and since Queen Frigga was sadly deceased, she now longer was required to creature beautiful outfits for women. She still did because she found it far more enjoyable than male clothing, but she had nobody to wear them. So, before she was allowed into the library, the woman insisted on taking Anna to get a new outfit for her. Her previous one went into her bag.

Now, Anna's new Asgardian garb was a bit less elegant in the dress department, and more so in the uniformed, professional (dress blues) sort of way. It was a bit more comfortable than her other one too.

On her top half, Anna had a dark gray shirt jacket that zipped in the front down the middle, however, it didn't appear to look like it was a zipper, as there were three buttons along the blue seemes. Once the shirt got to just below her belly button, it split off into the sides. It went longer, to cover her rear end, the light blue seem going all around the bottom of the jacket as well. There sheer blue sleeves that attacked at the top to the this, she had something that resembled a shawl, but instead of being open, it buttoned to the top of her right shoulder, dipped down across to her left side, went around her back, and then buttoned again on the opposite shoulder. It was also gray, with the light blue collar of the top of her shirt appearing out of it. She pinned her SHIELD eagle to the shawl.

Around her hips were navy blue holsters for her gun, ammo, and Jern Slangen. Her bottoms were the same black, tight reinforced skin tight legging material that her other outfit utilized. Lastly, she had long black boots that went to the middle of her calves.

Now she looked more military like, than she did a cross between a warrior princess. She found it comfortable, and a bit more her style than the other. Though she definitely wasn't going to knock the other outfit.

What really stunk, though, was that it was a tad bit pretentious. It looked like she was apart of the wealthier class of the Asgardian population. At least she fit in with the rest of the clothing around, for the most part. Drawing attention to herself wasn't something she wanted to do ever, especially not on an Alien planet.

As Anna walked back towards the Bifrost, she couldn't help but be cautious of the rowdy drunkards. They were making her nervous, not just because of their perverse comments, but the way they were grabbing drunk girls and pulling them down towards an alley. Now, Anna knew she shouldn't interfere with Asgardian business, but she couldn't just let woman be handled that way.

 _I have a feeling I'm going to regret this,_ Anna thought as she moved towards the entrance of the alley. _Always sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, Barnes. You're gonna end up with a black eye or something for this…_

At the other end of the alley, several men with large gun were keeping guard as the drunkards loaded the terrified women into the back of a small cargo vessel. This was kidnapping. Trafficking them most likely. That was definitely not something the young SHIELD agent could stand for.

There wasn't any way for her to really secretly make her way over to them and take them out one by one. The alley was too small, and there wasn't anything to use as cover. She either had to run and get help (though she didn't know where to find that), or go all in and hope for the best. Unwisely, Anna jumped all in.

Or, at least, that was what Anna was _going_ to do, until someone bashed her in the back of the head and knocked her out cold.

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 **So there you have it! Anna's back in space. Let's see what kinda of trouble she can get into here! (Besides what you obviously just read, because, let's face it, Anna can do far worse.)**

Thanks go to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **zikashigaku** _\- I'm so excited that this has started. All next week until Friday I'm going to be bulk writing for Evermore.

 _ **Jedi Jelsa777-**_ I know, I miss Phil so much. I miss the early days of an innocent Anna getting trained. :(

 _ **Bittersweet256**_ \- Yes, there will be more Falcon, I promise! Not too much in the very start of the next story, but he will be around after the first arc!


	2. Speechless

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just own Anna.**

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Chapter 2

Speechless

For once, it wasn't a massive pain behind her eyes, or on the back of her skull that Anna woke up to after having gotten knocked out. No, this time, the pain in her head was masked by the worse pain in her tracia. Swallowing was the worst sensation she could possible image at that moment, and when a pained moan tried to escaped her parted lips, nothing came out.

Sitting up slowly so not to make herself dizzy, Anna sat back against a cold metal wall, her eyes landing on several other girls resting about the floor much like she was. Hands bound behind her back, ankles pulled together with what looked like worn rope. And from the irony smell, it wasn't caked in just mud.

Anna was locked in a storage container, or the back of a truck with what in her mind she'd call hostages. That's what they were to her. She was a victim, a hostage. The people that took her would most likely use something like income. Her first guess was instantly to trafficking. She didn't know all that much about how things were in space, but things transcended into the greater scheme of things from Earth, right?

Which meant she had all the more obligation to get the girls, and herself, out of there as quickly as possible. Plus, she needed to get back home, or at least to Asgard. She may not know if the information she had obtained in her research was anything of use to Director Philip Coulson, aka Uncle Phil, but his sanity could be very well at stake. She owed him far more than just escaping with a little bit of information for him.

She couldn't tell if there was a guard standing outside the storage container door, but it was cracked open just enough to let in a small stream of light in what would've been a suffocatingly hot, black room. She didn't know where she was, if she was even still on Asgard, so she needed to take advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves to her.

Fumbling with her hands tired behind her back, Anna begrudgingly dislocated her thumb to slip out of the bindings. She knew she groaned, but there was no admission of sound coming from her person whatsoever. The ropes fell to the floor as she reached down to untie her legs from under her Asgardian garb.

Being the person that she was, Anna couldn't just leave the other women there while she escaped. As quietly as she could, she went over untied them. Their expressions were confused, but grateful. They made no move to escape though. If they were ordinary women, that was understandable. They most likely wouldn't have been able to overpower however many men were out there.

Before Anna could even turn to move towards the door, however, several funny dressed men in blue and gold barged in with rounded helmets barely showing their faces and large guns pointing at them.

And they weren't there to rescue them.

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 **Hey guys. Sorry for the delay. It was my last semester of undergrad and I graduated. So a lot of work. And then I got sick and haven't been well. But it feels soooo good to write again, and I should have more time to do so. I've got some chapters already written, so hopefully I can start the schedule going again, so if you follow on the google calendar updates should be posted as scheduled there. I'll be moving in a couple months, but hopefully that won't change anything. I want to make sure i have enough of a head start with chapters so you have content to come.**

 **Also, totally not feeling this chapter, so I apologize for that. I just knew that if I didn't push it out I wouldn't get over the hump, and I've really been looking forward to writing this movie.**

Thanks to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **Jedi Jesla777-** _I'm so glad you're excited. I hope this chapter wasn't too disappointing.

 _ **EB1793-**_ Peter Quill is awesome, that's for sure. I can't wait to play around with him and Anna.

 _ **Patishlebish** _\- I'm not sure if I'm going to do other PoV's while Anna's away, but it's an interesting idea for me to really think about. I might do one for Bucky, but that depends on if it fits in well with how the structure of the arc plays out.

 _ **patito** _\- There will definitely be more Loki interaction in the future, just now sure when yet. I feel like despite everything he made her do, she's come to a point in herself to know that he also may not have been completely in control, and from how he's acted. She may not completely forgive, but she has to a point. I feel like they relate a whole lot. It would be really interesting to have them interact together. more

 _ **Guest** _\- Thank you so much. Things have been very up and down lately, but I'm hoping to get back on track. Again, thank you so much and I'm so glad you enjoy everything!

 _ **Guest** _\- Here I am! Sorry for the wait! And don't worry, just in case you wanted to know, I'd never completely abandon a story. Just haitus. I love writing too much to forever stop.

 _ **shizzlethis1**_ \- I am too. And I'm so happy you are as well!


	3. The Kyln

**Disclaimer: I don't know anything Marvel. I just own Anna.**

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Chapter 3

The Kyln

It was utter bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. There was so much in Anna's life that she'd had to put up with that was "utter bullshit" but this really took the cake as one of the utterliest bull-bat-shittiest things she'd ever experienced ever. Not only was she prosecuted without even getting her statement taken - because she couldn't talk due to whatever the hell they'd done to her throat - she was thrown in jail.

 _Jail_!

All of the women in the back of that truck, including Anna, had been taken to prison, though since Anna put up a fight when they tried getting rough with her upon arrest (who could blame her? She was kidnapped and then attacked by what she assumed were some police department that was supposed to help her!).

She could clearly see the holo-file they had on her while they put her through booking.

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Anna May Barnes

Origin: Terra

Length: 275 microbules

Weight: 852 grets

Legs: 2

Arms: 2

Enhancements: None

Associates: Unknown.

Criminal Record:1 Count Illegal Immigration, 1 Count Resisting arrest, 4 Counts Assault

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They had gotten her things from the front of the truck where the captured were keeping them, so they got that she was from Earth, which they called Terra, apparently. Everything from her licence and badge. However, they got the Immigration part completely wrong. There was nothing she could do as they hauled her away in a ship to a jail.

 _Jail_!

The Kyln, which really only made her think of ceramics, was the name of the prison floating out in space that Anna and four other individuals were being escorted into. Aliens were something Anna wasn't exactly sure she'd get used to. Asgardians looked human. Besides them, she'd really only seen the Chitauri, and they were just monsters in her head. Other aliens she either thought would kinda look like Thor, or like the little green men in the movies. Or maybe the dark elves, which still kinda looked more human. Just different colored.

But there was only one other humanoid looking alien that was with them. He was tall, muscular, with red hair. He was handsome, but not really her type. She preferred her men with dark good looks. Or perhaps she prefered her men to just be Bucky.

Besides him, there was what could only be described as a talking raccoon.

There was a tall wooden alien.

And a gorgeous green skinned, purple haired woman that walked directly in front of Anna.

"I guess most of the Nova Corps wanna uphold the laws, but these ones here, they're corrupt and cruel," the raccoon said. It was still weirding Anna out that a raccoon was talking..."But, hey, that's not my problem. I ain't gonna be here long. I've escaped twenty-two prisons. This one's no different. You're lucky the broad showed up, because otherwise, me and Groot would be collecting that bounty right now, and you'd be getting drawn and quartered by Yondu and those Ravagers."

It seemed all four of these people knew each other somewhat. Anna, on the other hand, was completely and utterly lost to what they were talking about. She had no idea who, or what, a Yondu was. Same with the Ravagers.

"I've had a lot of folks try to kill me over the years. I ain't about to be brought down by a tree and a talking raccoon."

 _Well, at least I'm not the only one addressing that it's a talking raccoon. Chances are he's human then,_ Anna thought. _How did he end up here? Maybe Alien abduction really is a thing. Funny crop circles and all..._

The Guard stopped them by saying, "Hold," to which they complied.

"What's a raccoon?" it asked.

"'What's a raccoon?' It's what you are, stupid."

 _That's a little unnecessary, if you ask me_ , Anna thought. _Clearly he doesn't know exactly what you're talking about. And who knows, maybe he really isn't a raccoon. Just hope I'm wrong. If it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it's probably a raccoon._

"Ain't no thing like me, except me," he said.

 _What is up with all of the 'ain't's with these people? It's a creating negatives with what they say,_ she thought, nitpicking at everything little thing since she couldn't talk. The guard finally let them through so they could be lead to their cells. She'd always had to hold her tongue on missions. She couldn't always say what she thought, which was probably a good thing. But not physically being able to speak like she normally could was maddening.

"So, this orb has a real shiny blue suitcase. Ark of the Covenant, Maltese Falcon sort of vibe. What is it?"

"I am Groot."

"So what? What's the orb?"

"I have no words for an honorless thief," the woman said.

"Pretty high and mighty coming from the lackey of a genocidal maniac."

A weird noise came out of Anna. What it would've been had she had her voice been present, it would've been a surprise noise of disbelief. The rest of the group just looked at her oddly. At least it was a sign that some sort of noise was coming back to her. There was hope for her to talk again someday grew. Hopefully it would come back faster than not. She needed to get out of there and fast.

The woman glared at the raccoon, which only prompted him to go on. "Yeah, I know who you are. Anyone who's anyone know who are."

 _Ouch_ , Anna thought, trying not to get too insulted by that

"Yeah, we know who you are," human man said. He then turned to the tree man and asked, "Who is she?"

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, you said that."

"I wasn't retrieving the orb for Ronan," green woman said. "I was betraying him. I had an agreement to sell it to a third party."

Anna knew in her line of work there was a lot of betrayal. She'd never seen first hand so many people ready to turn on whoever they work for though. It seems the time of the Hydra uprising was just a hint of what was to come for the rest of her days. She was going to have a harder time trusting people. Not that there was probably a whole lot of people at the Kyln to trust. It was a prison, after all.

"I am Groot."

"Well, that's just as fascinating as the first eighty-nine times you told me that. What is wrong with Giving Tree, here?"

 _Hey, I love that book!_ Anna thought. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that this man was from Earth now. She just wanted to know how he got off world and how he ended up like this. But she could see his point. There had to be more to the story of why he just kept repeating those three words.

"Well, he doesn't know talking good like me and you," raccoon said.

Okay, now that is just annoying.

"So his vocabulistics is limited to "I" and "am" and Groot." Exclusively in that order."

"Well, I tell you what, that's gonna wear real thin, real fast. If I-" he cut himself off as he saw one of the guards with his belongings playing around with an old walkman. Anna hadn't seen one of those in years, and only because she'd seen it in Phil's possessions. The other guads ushered them forward while the man was trapped in the locker room. The guy was zapped while talking about Blue Swede - which Anna also agreed was a classic.

The group was lead towards decontamination, which involved getting hosed down violently with an orange liquid that basically took the top layer of skin the body. Now, with the other injuries Anna had sustained since arriving out in space, this made things ten times more uncomfortable for her.

The green woman and Anna were let to their own area for this, and given matching sets of pale yellow prison garb. Better than orange, if it was of any importance -which it wasn't, but they weren't the most uncomfortable things to wear either. Once they were changed the group was lead into the main holding area for the prisoners. It was as if they were arriving announced. The other prisoners gathered around, throwing things at them. However, Anna got the sneaking suspicion it was primarily for one person in the group more than the rest.

"Like I said, she's got a rep," raccoon said. "A lot of prisoners here have lost their families to Ronan and his goons. She'll last a day, tops."

"The guards will protect her, right?" human asked.

"They're her to stop us from getting out They don't care what we do to each other inside," raccoon answer.

"Whatever nightmares the future holds, are dreams compared to what's behind me," she said.

Now if that wasn't a cry from an abusive situation, Anna didn't know what was. She felt a pang of pity for the woman. She knew she didn't know the whole story, and that perhaps she shouldn't be feeling that way, but from the information she knew so far, she was most likely just a product of her environment.

The human of their group turned around and nearly ran into a big blue alien. He was a monstrous inmate, and it was clear his goal was to intimidate them. "Check out the new meat. I'm gonna slather you up in Gunavian jelly, and go to town-"

Groot stepped around their human and inserted two of his wooden fingers, elongating, into the nostrils of the inmates nose. He screamed out in pain, and was dropped to the ground moments later.

"Let's make something clear!" the raccoon yelled out to everyone that was observing. "This one here is our booty! You wanna get to him, you go through us! Or more accurately, _we go through you._ "

Anna just watched the alien wimper on the ground as she and the green woman passed to go to their shared quarters. Prisoners were heckling her. Threatening her life, and she figured this was very mild to what she most likely had been through in the past. The only time she'd seen it effect her was when one inmate slammed up against the glass of their containment unit. She flinch, but was clearly trying not to show any emotion.

Anna sat on the opposite side of the unit watching her carefully. The woman just stared straight ahead until the hecklers finally dispersed. Finally, she turned her attention to Anna quisically.

"You haven't said a single thing since our arrival," she said.

Anna shook her head and pointed to the large bruise on her throat.

"Temporary," she said. She got up and stood in front of her. Before Anna could do anything, the woman grabbed the butt of her heel into the very spot Anna had just pointed too.

At first Anna thought she was going to die, but after the fit of coughing subsided, she cleared her throat and said, "What the hell!" She blinked, surprised to hear her own voice. The woman sat back down as Anna leaned up against the wall. "Thanks."

"That is typical only with traffickers," she said. "You are an Asgardian?"

Anna shook her head. "No, I was just on Asgard doing some research. I'm from Earth. Terrin, I guess you guys call it. I was about to break out after we got taken, but they thought we were illegally immigrating."

"And you couldn't tell them what happened because of your throat," she clarified.

"Exactly," Anna said. "I'm Anna, by the way. You are?"

"I thought they said anyone who's anybody knows who I am," she said.

"Most Earthlings don't get off world. We don't know anything really of what goes on out here," she said. "I've learned there is always more to be told than just what you hear anyway. You were nice enough to help me. I should at least hear you out."

"I am Gamora," she introduced. "The adoptive daughter of Thanos, the most fear and powerful man in the galaxy. I've worked for him since he took me in."

"I see," Anna said. A product of her environment. "And you were willing to betray him."

"Ronan has a deal with Thanos, and I was willing to betray both," she clarified.

"That takes guts," Anna said. "Going against everything you knew for your own morals, or was it really just the money?"

She didn't answer. Instead Gamora changed the subject. " What of you, Terrin?"

"I work on Earth. Kind of a spy-government agent sort of thing," she said. "Right now I'm trying to research blue species of aliens that may have come into contact with Earth while I wait to try and find my husband."

"Where has he gone?" she asked.

"Who knows? All I know is that he's lost, and I'm hoping we find ourselves back together again. But I have to get out of here first to do it. And from what the raccoon said, the guards aren't going to listen to the truth."

"Perhaps we can meet an agreement then."

"Go on…"

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 **I know this one was a little weird seeing as Anna couldn't talk for the first part, but I hope her thoguhts made you laugh every so often. I just wanted her to be able to bond with Gamora by doing so.  
**

 **A side note: for those of you that read the Solace series, it will be returning soon enough. It's been posted on the calendar.**

Thanks go to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 **Guest** \- Hope you enjoy what's to come!


	4. Unconventional Allies

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just own Anna.**

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Chapter 4

Unconventional Allies

There were two things Anna typically always did when she didn't know what to do with herself. She'd either fiddle with the locket she typically wore around her neck, or twist her wedding rings on her ring finger. However, since Bucky took them from her the day SHIELD collapsed, she was left feeling rather empty and unsure of what to do with herself a great deal of the time. Typically she'd just rub the vacant spot where the ring would've been.

Clutching onto her ring finger with her other hand was how Anna found herself waking up, startled by the sound of the containment unit opening up. There was a small mob of the other inmates rushing. Gamora was hauled up off her bed, a large knife pressed against her throat as they dragged her off.

"What the fuck?" Anna jumped up and hit the closest person to her in the back of the head, causing them to go down. Two others turned to grab her, but she ducked and jabbed on in the ribcage. The other, however, managed to kick out her knee, which provided an opportunity for them to grab her as well.

"We were just gonna let you be, but now you're screwed girly," the balding white man said. "Take them down to the showers. It'll be easier to clean up the blood down there."

The two women struggled against their captors, but unfortunately aliens tended to be stronger than humans, she found. Which in her opinion was utterly unfair, seeing as she was always outnumbered. Humans outnumbering her? Far better chances of her coming out on top. Aliens? She felt screwed over. She doubted she ever wanted to go back to space again if she made it back home. Two men help her off to the side while several other pinned Gamora up against the wall with the knife still pointed at her.

"Gamora, consider this a death sentence for your crimes against the galaxy," the man said.

"You dare?!"

Even the capturs holding her jumped at the voice. They looked over and there was this very large bald man with red markings covering his body. The overall coloring of his skin was a little gray, but perhaps in different lights it could be blue. "You know who I am, yes?

"You're Drax, the Destroyer," the man answered.

"You know why they call me this?" Drax prompted further.

"You slayed dozens of Ronan's minions," he answered.

"Ronan murdered my wife, Ovette, and my daughter, Camaria. He slaughtered them where they stood. And he _laughed_!"

 _How tragic_ , Anna thought. Murder wasn't a justifiable thing, she knew. But she wasn't innocent in that either. Revenge wasn't the way to go. But had he been a movie character, Anna probably would've been rooting for him to avenge his fallen family. That did now mean, however, she wanted him to kill the one person she had made a deal with to help get herself out of there.

"Her life is not yours to take. He killed my family, I shall kill one of his in return," Drax continued.

"Of course, Drax," the man said. "Here, I…" He held out his knife to Drax, but before anything else could transpire, Gamora kicked out and took out the two inmates holding her, and their weapons. She used them against them.

As the two holding her watched as Gamora took control of the situation, their let their own guard down. She pulled her arms in, and grabbed ahold of their necks to headbutt them both into one another. She slipped out of their hold and cautiously moved towards Gamora for support.

"I am no family to Ronan, or Thanos," Gamora told them. She took some steps back, and dropped the knives. "I'm your only hope at stopping him."

Drax didn't seem to want to hear that. Instead, he lunged forward and grabbed Gamora by the throat. "Woman, your words mean nothing to me!"

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey. Hey!"

Anna turned to see the human man from earlier come in with the raccoon. He seemed as if he wanted to help though, as he cautiously stepped out with his hands outstretched. "You know, if killing ROnan is truly your sole purpose, I don't think this is the best way to go about it."

"Are you not the man this wench attempted to kill?" Drax asked.

"Did you?" Anna whispered towards Gamora, who was a bit more focused on the situation at hand to answer.

"Well, I mean, she's hardly the first woman to try and do that to me." He reached down and pulled up his shirt to show a scar on his side. "Look, this is from a smoking-hot Rajak girl. Stabbed me with a fork. Didn't like me skipping out on her at sunrise." He then pointed to his neck where another scar sat. "I got, right here, a kree girl tried to rip out my Thorax. She caught me with this skinny A'askavariian who worked in Nova Records. I was trying to get information. You ever see an A'askavariian? They have tentacles and needles for teeth. If you think I'm seriously interested in that-"

"You're a man whore, we get it," Anna said. Drax didn't look amused either.

"You don't care, but here's the point: she betrayed Ronan. He's coming back for her. And when he does that's when you…" He drew his finger across his throat as if cutting his own neck.

"Why would I put my finger on his throat?" Drax asked.

"What? Oh, this is a symbol. This is a symbol for you slicing his throat," he clarified.

"It's an Earth thing," Anna clarified. "Ignore him."

"I would not slice his throat. I would cut his head clean off," Drax corrected.

"It's a general expression for you killing someone," he said, asking for someone else to help him out. "She knew! She'd just mean and doesn't care." Anna just rolled her eyes. "You heard of this. You've seen this, right? You know what that is."  
"Yeah, yeah," the original captor said.

"Everyone knows."

"No, no," he said changing tunes when Drax looked at him.

"What I'm saying is, you want to keep her alive. DOn't do his work for him."

Draw looked to Gamora and then let her go. Anna made sure Gamora was steady on her feet. "I like your knife," Drax said. I'm keeping it." With that, he walked off.

"That was my favorite knife."

"Come on, let's get out of here," Anna said, letting go of Gamora's arm as they headed out of the showers. "You alright."

"That is hardly the first attempt on my life," she said.

"Doesn't mean it doesn't get to you," Anna said.

"Listen!" the man came up behind in and started addressing Gamora. "I could care less whether you life or whether you die."

"Then why stop the big guy?" she asked.

"He's got a thing for you," Anna teased.

"What? No! It's simple. You know where to sell my orb."

"How are we gonna sell it when we, and it, are still in here?" Gamora asked.

"My friend Rocket, here, has escaped twenty-two prisons," he clarified.

"Oh we're getting out. And then we're headed straight to Yondu to retrieve _your_ bounty," Rocket Raccoon said to the man.

"How much was your buyer willing to pay you for my orb?" he asked.

"Four billion units," Gamora answered.

Even to Anna, who knew nothing of units and galactic currency, knew that sounded like a hell of a lot of moola.

"What?" Rocket gaped.

"Holy shit."

"That orb is my opportunity to get away from Thanos and Ronan. If you free us, I'll lead you to the buyer directly and I'll split the profit between the three of us," Gamora said.

"And I'm willing to help in exchange for passage back to Asgard or Earth after all of this," Anna said. "I don't want in on the units."

"I am Groot."

"Four of us. Asleep for the danger, awake for the money, as per frickin' usual," Rocket said.

"So we have a deal?" Anna said. "We'll turn in for the night, and discuss this further in the morning."

"Who made you boss?" the man asked.

"I'm not, I'm just starting what's smart," Anna said. "I'm Anna. You?"

"Peter Quill."

"You got a better idea, Quill?" Anna asked. He didn't answer. "I didn't think so."

* * *

 **Sorry this is late, guys. I've just had a really busy couple of days and I haven't felt well. Plus, everyone in my house has the flu. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter.**  
 **Also, I think I'm going to start offering to do writing commisions if anyone is interests. Let me know. Just PM me and I'll get back to you as soon as I see it.**

Thanks go to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **Thunderstike16** _\- Yeah, there's a whole lot more interactions to come too!

 _ **Guest** _\- I hope I don't disappoint!

 _ **Jedi Jesla777-**_ I'm so glad you liked it!


	5. Prison Break

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Marvel. I just own Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 5

Prison Break

The unconventional team walked through the lunch line to grab their meals, and while doing so, were trying to get better aquainted with one another. At least, Anna and Peter were, it seemed. After all, they were the only two Terrins.

"So how did you even end up in here in the first place?" Quil asked.

"Kidnaped and then mistaken for illegally immigrating," Anna answered. "How did you end up here? You're from Earth, aren't you?"

"Got abducted as a child," he answered. "So you're from Earth too."

"Yeah, I'm sure a lot has changed since the last time you've been there, seeing as you're still using a Walkman," Anna teased.

"What's wrong with my Walkman?"

"If we're gonna get out of here, we're gonna need to get into that watchtower," Rocket said, interrupting their unimportant conversation. "And to do that, I'm gonna need a few things. The guards wear security bands to control their ins and outs. I need one."

"Leave it to me," Gamora said.

"That dude there," Rocket went on, motioning to the man that was passing by them that very moment. He was hobbling with an electronic prosthetic leg. "I need his prosthetic leg."  
"His leg?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, God knows I don't need the rest of him. Look at him, he's useless."

"Tell us how you really feel Rocket," Anna muttered.

"Alright," Peter said, accepting this as his part of the mission.

"And finally, on the wall back there is a black panel. Blinky yellow light. Do you see it?" The group collectively turned to look, and replied accordingly.

"There's a quarnyx battery behind it. Purplish box, green wres. To get into that watchtower, I definitely need it."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Gamora asked.

"Well, supposably, tese bald-bodies fine you two attractive. So maybe you could work some sort of trade," Rocket sid.

"You must be joking," Gamora said.

"You want us to whore ourselves out?" Anna asked, her face scrutinizing his proposition.

"No, I really heard they find you attractive."

"We're not whoring ourselves," Anna told him.

"Look it's twenty feet up in the air, and it's in the middle of the most heavily-guarded part of the prison. It's impossible to get up there without being seen," Quill said.

"So you want us to do it too," Anna glared.

"I got one plan, and that plan requires a frickin' quarnyx batter, so figure it out! Can I get back to it? Thanks? Now, this is important. Once the batter is removed everything is gonna slam into emergenty cmode. Once we have it, we gotta move quickly so you definitely need to get it last."

"Hey guys? Where's Groot?" Anna asked.

The group looked around at the exact moment Groot cut off the black panet wire which set off the alarms Rocket has just been talking about.

"Or we could just get it first and improvise," Rocket finished.

"I'll get the armband," Gamora said.

"Leg," Peter called out.

"I've got Groot."

Six of the guard robots entered the room and started circling groot. Over their speakers game a commanding voice. "Prisoner, drop the device immediately and retreat to you cell, or we will open fire!"

"I am Groot!"

"Fire!" The security droids started firing, and that just prompted Groot to lash out. An announcement was made to the other prisoners over the same speakers. "All prisoners return to your sleeping areas."

"Can he take getting shot at?" Anna asked Rocket as they raced over towards Groot.

"He'll grow back," Rocket answered as he hopped up and climbed to Groot's shoulder. "You idiot! How am I supposed to fight these things without my stuff?"

He has a point. Anna wasn't much use in this situation. She didn't have anything. She had now protective gear. No weapons. Even if she stole a knife from someone it would be no use against a flying droid. She wasn't durable like the other aliens in their alliance. She just hoped that, despite her lack of contribution, they would still help Anna get back to where she belonged.

It was then that Drax joined in on their adventure. Several armed guards stepped doward and were about to shoot at both Groot and Rocket, but he intervened. He threw one of the guns, which Anna quickly rolled and took up so that she'd have at least something to help contribute to the fight and to protect herself.

"Creepy little beast!" Drax yelled out as Anna shot a guy coming up behind Drax. Drax threw him one of the guns as well. He caught it easily.

"Oh yeah," Rocket exclaimed excitedly. He opened fire on everything. It was extremely clear that he was trigger happy. Anna was far more precise with her targeted shooting. And even then she didn't shoot to kill. These people may be bad guards, but they were doing their job to keep prisoners in.

"Rocket!" Gamora called out. She threw over the control device and he caught it, again, with ease. "Move to the watchtower!" he ordered as all of them did as instructed.

Groot lowered his hand for Anna to step up and lifted her up so she was where she needed to be. Below, Quill was climbing up Groots leg like a latter, only making it as Drax took out another droin before it shot him down. Drax then started to follow him up.

The door opened, and the guard that had been speaking froze. He put his hands up to give up, and Groot threw him from the tower as the enter. Drax's entrance surprising the majority of them.

"Spare me your foul gaze woman," Drax said.

"Why is this one here?" Gamora demanded.

"We promised him he could stay by your side until he kills your boss. I always keep my promises, when they're to muscle-bound whack-jobs who will kill me if I don't. Here you go," Peter said, tossing him the prosthetic leg.

"Oh, was just kidding about the leg," Rocket said. "I just needed these two things."

"What?" Peter asked.

"Now that's just a dick move," Anna muttered with a scowl.

"No, I...I thought it'd be funny. Was it funny? No, wait, what did he look like hopping around?"

"I had to transfer him thirty thousand units!" Quill complained. Rocket just found it funny.

"How are we gonna leave?" Drax asked.

"Well, he's got a plan, right?" Quill sid. "Or is that another thing you made up?"

"I have a plan. I have a plan."

"Cease your yammering and relieve us from this irksome confinement," Drax pressed.

"Yeah, I'll have to agree with the walking thesaurus on that one," Peter said.

"Do not ever call me a thesaurus," Drax threatened.

"It's just a metaphor, dude."

"Maybe the don't have them where he's from," Anna said.

"His people are completely literal. Metaphors are gonna go over his head," Rocket explained.

"Nothing goes over my head. My reflexes are too fast. I would catch it."

"I guess neither is modesty," Anna muttered.

"I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest male idiots in the galaxy," Gamora muttered.

"I appreciate adding in male there," Anna told her.

Down below, the guards now had the watchtower surrounded. They mounted their stances and in their harms were some of the biggest handguns Anna had ever seen in her life.

"Those are some big guns," Peter said.

"You could say that again," Anna muttered.

"Oh my command! Number one!" One guard shot at the glass.

"Can this thing hold off those?" Anna asked, staring at the cracked glass. "Please tell me it can."

"Rodent, we are ready for your plan," Gamora stated.

"Hold on!"  
"Number two!" _Boom_. Another shot hit the close on the other side.

"I really don't think this thing can take a whole lot more of those…" Anna mumbled nervously.

"I recognize this animal," Drax said off topic. "We roast them over a flame put as children. Their flesh was quite delicious."

"Not telling!"

"Best not to insult the one that's going to save you," Anna informed him.

"Number three!" Boom. Anna flinced and took a step back towards the door. "All fire on my command. Three! Two! One!"

However, before they could shoot, rocket finished his work. Everything and everyone down below started to lift off of the ground. Their guns floating away from them. It was a brilliant plan. One Anna wouldn't have thought of in a million years.

"You turned off the artificial gravity, everywhere but here," Gamora pointed out.

"I told you I had a plan," Rocket said.

As rocket disconnected the watchtower from it's base, he used the security system to control the droids to attach to the watchtowers to control where the room went.

"That was a pretty good plan," Quill said pointed out.

"You've gotta be one of the most brilliant creatures I've ever met," Anna stated.

The watchtower flew forward, crashing through corridors, nearly getting crushed as doors closed to lock them in. They barely made it through and out to the loading bay where they would be taking Peter Quill's ship for their escape. Their last stop before leaving was to retrieve their belongings from lock-up though. Anna quickly searched and found her back. Her clothing, wallet, badge, Jern Slange, and her notes all remained inside the confines of her back.

"There it is! Get my ship. It's the Milano, the orange and blue one over in the corner," Peter pointed out.

"They crumpled my pants up into a ball. That's rude! They folded yours," Rocket complained.

"The orb's there. Let's go!" Gamora said.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Peter said frantically looking through his things.

"What?" Gamora asked.

"That bastard didn't put it back," he said.

"Put what back?" Gamora asked.

"Do we seriously have time for this, Peter!" Anna yelled out as he turned to leave.

"Here," Peter said, handing the bag with the orb to Gamora. "Get them to the ship. I will be right back."

"How are you gonna possibly-"

"Just keep the Milano close by. Go. Go!"

"He's going to get us all killed, I swear," Anna muttered leading Gamora towards the ship.

Once they were all settled in and ready to leave, Gamora had to stop them from taking off. She didn't, but she prevented them from going too far from the surface of the Kyln.

"Well, how's he gonna get to us?" Rocket asked.

"He declined to share that information with me," Gamora said.

"Well, screw this, then! I ain't waiting around for some humie with a death wish. You got the orb right?" he asked.

"Doubt it," Anna said. "There's not way he gave us the real thing."

"Yes," Gamora said, giving Anna a look. She looked into the bad, and saw it was missing, which irked her to now end.

"Told you," Anna said. "He needed incentive to make sure we wouldn't leave him."

"If we don't leave now, we will be blown to bits," Rocket said.

"NO! We're not leaving without the orb!" Gamora yelled.

Peter wasn't much longer after that. He flew up, and removed his helmet once inside. He tossed the orb up and down as if it were simply a baseball, a play thing.

"Behind," Drax said. "This one shows spirit. He shall make a keen ally in the battle against Ronan." Peter handed over the walkman, the very one he had gotten beaten over when they had first arrived. "You're an imbecile."

Anna rolled her eyes and went to go find a place to change back into her Asgardian wear. She put on her new outfit, rather than the original she received her first time around. She figured if she was sticking around with these lunatics for a little while longer, they might get into trouble again. She'd rather be comfortable and ready to fight at a moments notice and the prison garb left much to be desired in terms of protection.

Once changed, Anna went back up to where the rest of the criminals were.

"That's for if things get really hardcore," Rocket explained, showing off something of his. "Or if you wanna blow up moons."

"Wait what?" Anna froze. "What the hell did I miss?"

"No one's blowing up moons," Gamora said, putting down her good.

"You just wanna suck the joy out of everything," Rocket complained.

"So, listen, I'm gonna need your buyer's coordinates," Quill said.

"We're heading in the right direction. For now," she said illusively. She picked up the orb and examined it.

"If we're gonna work together, you might want to try trusting me a little bit," he said.

"And how much do you trust me?" she asked.

Peter took the orb out of Gamora's hands. "I'd trust you a lot more if you told me what this is. Because I'm guessing it's some sort of weapon."

"I don't know what it is," she answered honestly.

Peter put the orb back down and the table and Drax figured it was his turn to pick it up. "If it's a weapon, we should use it against Ronan."

"Put it down, you fool! You'll destroy us all."

"Or just you, Murderess!"

"Maybe, we don't know if it really is a weapon yet. That's just the acting theory," Anna said. "Either way, nothing good can come of selling it to anybody. It'd eventually go to the wrong hands. It should be in safe police custody."

"Thanks Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes," Peter said.

"I let you live once, Princess," Gamora continued to threaten Drax.

"I am not a princess!"

"Hey! Nobody is killing anybody on my shit! We're stuck together until we get the money." Drax threw the orb to Peter and he caught it.

"I have no interest in money," Drax stated before walking off. Removing himself from the situation altogether.

"Great, that means more money for the three of us," Peter said, until Groot made a displeased noise. "For the four of us. Partners."

"Do I get dropped off before or after you get your money?" Anna asked.

"We have an agreement, but I would never be partners with the likes of you. I'll tell the buyer we're on our way. And Quill, you ship is filthy," Gamora said. She moved down the stairs and away from the group as well.

"Oh, she has no idea. If I had a black light, the place would look like a Jackson Pollack painting."

"Oh that's just disgusting," Anna gagged.

"You got issues, Quill," Rocket said.

"I reiterate," Anna said, "do I get dropped off before or after the buy? I don't want to stay in this cesspool."

"After," Quill said.

"Greeeaaat."

* * *

Sorry for the late update, guys. My grandfather died this week and I also have the flu, so it's been fun!

Thanks to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

shizzlethis1 - I always knew I wanted to have her in it, but how exactly didn't come to me until I actually had to force myself to write it. lol

Jedi Jesla777 - I know, I just love Peter and how he is. He's so...normal.


	6. Knowhere is Somewhere

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. Just Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 6

Knowhere is Somewhere

"So you said you were trafficked?" Peter asked.

Anna was sitting against the wall with one left stretched out in front of her, while the other was pulled up to her chest. Jern Slange was in her hand in it's small form. She was absentmindedly twirling it around her fingers and her hand as she looked over some of her notes she'd taken. It seemed like an eternity ago.

Anna looked up at Quill from her spot and nodded. "Yeah," she answered.

"But not from Earth," he said.

"No, I was on Asgard doing some work," she said, tapping the notebook with her pencil. "Odin kinda owed me after I helped Thor save Asgard and Earth, and really the universe from the Dark Elves a couple years back."

"Could've sworn you were an Asgardian," Peter said. "Asgardians don't get out much, but the women are usually unbelievably smoking hot."

"Thanks, I guess," Anna said, unsure of how to take that. "Really it's just the clothing. The Late Queen Frigga's dressmaker likes it when I come because she has someone to play dress up with."

"So Terrin," he muttered.

"Yeah," Anna said looking at him skeptically. "I take it you haven't been back home in a long time."

"There's nothing for me there since my mom died," Peter said.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Anna said.

"I'm surprised a human knows the royal Asgardians though," Peter said.

"I have connections," Anna said. "Work friends. I'm one of those government agents that people say are only myth. Like scary men in black suits and stuff. Or was at least. We're rebuilding after there was some issues. It wasn't until the last couple years normal humans knew there were aliens out there."

"There isn't any way I could convince you to stay and keep me company, is there?" he flirted. "Space can get awfully cold."

Anna chuckled. "Nice try, Quill, but I'm married."

"Damn," he muttered. "Oh well, I prefer my women a bit more…"

"Alien," Anna said. "A'askavariian?" she teased.

"Ha ha." he muttered, but he was smirking. "If its worth anything, your husband's a lucky man."

"Thank you."

"Heads up! We're inbound!" Rocket called to them.

Anna put her things away as Quill went ahead of her to join the others. When she saw wen she rejoined them was surprising. Out floating in space was a head. A legitimate giant head with asteroids and debris floating around it. It was massive, as large as the Kyln, if not larger.

"Whoa," Peter muttered.

"What is it?" Drax asked.

"It's called Knowhere," Gamora clarified. "The severed head of an ancient celestial being. Be wary headed in, rodent. There are no regulations whatsoever here." Rocket took them in, and as they navigated, Gamora went on. "Hundreds of years ago, the Tivan Group sent workers in to mine the organic matter within the skull. Bone, brain tissue, spinal fluid. All rare resources, highly values in black markets across the galaxy. It's dangerous and illegal work, suitable only for outlaws."

"What is the stuff even used for though?" Anna asked a bit grossed out as they exited the Milano. Then again, SHIELD used Alien DNA to heal Phil after Anna killed him. She didn't want to think about it. She didn't like it. She also didn't like how grungy and dirty Knowhere made Anna feel. She'd need to decontaminate like at the Kyln all over again.

"Well, I come from a planet of outlaws. Billy the Kid, Bonnie and Clyde, and John Stamos," Peter said.

"I really dont think Uncle Jesse counts as an outlaw, Peter," Anna said.

"It sounds like a place which I would like to visit," Drax said, and Anna rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me."

A small group of kids ran past them, and Anna pulled her bag a little closer. She didn't really have anything valuable to anybody other than herself in there, but that didn't mean things might not go missing as the kids pickpocketed by them.

"Watch your wallets," Peter warned everyone.

A Knowhere kid walked up to them and asked, "Can you spare any units?"

"I'm sorry, I don't have any units," Anna told the girl giving her a sympathetic look.

"Get out of here," Rocket told the girl.

Groot, however, knelt own to the girl's level. In his hand he willed a small flower to grow. With his free hand, he plucked it and gave it to the girl before sending her off on her way. Anna smiled up at him and patted his shoulder.

"That was very sweet of you, Groot," she told him.

"I am Groot."

"I really wish I could understand what you're saying, but I won't insult you by pretending that I do," she added. "Do you get tired of people not understanding?"

"I am Groot," was his reply, of course, but there was a nod to it as well, which gave her her answer.

"Maybe someday," Anna wished. Groot placed a hand on her head sweetly, and the two turned back to their ragtag group.

"Your buyer's in there?" Rocket asked.

"We are to wait here for his representative," Gamora answered.

"This is no respectable establishment. What do you expect us to do while we wait?" Drax asked.

* * *

Killing time in an alien outlaw bar while tiny rodent aliens were forced to fight or race or whatever it was they were doing was not something Anna wanted to do with her time. Instead, she opted to cautiously wonder around the immediate area. Alone was better than with a drunk Drax and Rocket anyway. Far too much shouting and testosterone for her liking.

She'd shopped around for information to see if there was any way for her to get back to Asgard faster, but from what she could tell from her short amount of time on Knowhere, units meant everything. And with no units to her name, Anna wasn't worth the time of day to anyone there on Knowhere.

She wondered if anybody noticed she was missing yet, or if she even cared.

Eventually, Anna made her way back around to outside the bar. What she found upon arrival was not very tasteful of her group. Rocket had his gun out and pointing it towards Drax, both clearly drunk with Gamora and Quill trying to keep them apart and at peace.

"Stop it!" Gamora yelled.

"Whoa, whoa! What are you doing?" Peter asked.

"This vermin speaks of affairs he knows nothing about!" Drax answered.

"That is true!" Rocket added.

"He has no respect!"

"That is also true!"

"Hold on! Hold on!"

"Keep calling me vermin, tough guy! You just wanna laugh at me like everyone else!" Rocket interrupted.

"Rocket, we're not saying you're anything other than you," Anna said.

"Rocket, you're drink, alright? No one's laughing at you," Peter said.

"He thinks I'm some stupid thing! He does! Well, I didn't ask to get made! I didn't ask to be torn apart and put back together over and over and turned into some, some little monster!" He was angry, but he was broken as well.

"Oh Rocket," Anna cooed.

"Rocket, no one's calling you a monster," Peter said.

"He called me me vermin! She called me rodent! Let's see if you can laugh after five or six good shots to your frickin' face!" He lifted the gun to point at Drax again, but Peter stepped in front of him.

"No, no, no, no! Four billion units, Rocket! Come on, man! Hey, suck it up for one more lousy night and you're rich!" Peter negotiated.

Hesitantly, Rocket lowered the gun. "Fine, but I can't promise when all this is over I'm not going to kill every last one of you jerks."

"See? That's exactly why none of you have any friends!" Peter snapped. "Five seconds after you meet someone, you're already trying to kill them!"

"We have traveled halfway across the quadrant, and Ronan is no closer to being dead," Drax muttered before wondering off on his own, which would probably come back to bite them in the ass at some point. Drax always got up to no good, she found.

"Drax!" Peter called out after him.

"Let him go. We don't need him," Gamora said.

And as harsh as that was, there really wasn't a need for Drax anymore. He had remained there with them to get to Ronan, and with what they were doing now he had no involvement. Anna felt bad for his situation, but for right now, she had her own issues to worry about. She needed to get back to Earth, and to do that, she needed to make sure the rest of the criminals kept up their end of the bargain.

"Milady Gamora."

The small voice caught their attention. Anna's gray eyes landed on a bright pink skinned girl in an alien looking maids dress. At least, that's kind of what it made Anna think of. She was standing so straight, Anna could tell it was making her back stiff. It was clear she was meant to present herself in such a way.

"I'm here to fetch you for my master," she said, and turned to lead them out of the bar and into her master's residence.

* * *

If Anna had disliked everything about Knowhere before going into who Gamora called "The Collector's" house, she detested it now. Lining the walls and cluttering the enormous room were tanks and cages housing plants and animals. There were taxidermied aliens staring lifeless at them as they walked by, and even worse, living cased aliens turning their heads as they passed.

"Okay, this isn't creepy at all," Rocket said.

"It's deplorable," Anna told him.

"We house the galaxy's largest collection of fauna, relics, and species of all manner," the servant girl, Carina, informed them. She finally stopped once they were in the room with a white hairs, insane Einstein looking man stood. "I present to you, Taneleer Tivan, the Collector." Gamora and the Collector moved towards one another, after all, they were the two conversing about the buy.

"Oh, my dear Gamora," he said. "How wonderful to meet you in the flesh." He took her hands and gently kissed them.

Anna felt like puking.

"Let's bypass the formalities, Tivan," Gamora said. "We have what we discussed."

Tivan looked towards the extra people. He hadn't expected more than just Gamora, so he was curious. And even more curious to see Groot. "What is that thing there?" he gaped.

"I am Groot," he answered.

"I never thought I'd meet a Groot," he stated in amazement. "Sir, you must allow me to pay you now so that I may own your carcass. At the moment of your death, of course."

 _That doesn't mean he wouldn't kill you sooner than when your time really is,_ Anna thought, narrowing her eyes. _What a creep!_

"I am Groot."

"Why, so he could turn you into a frickin' chair?" Rocket asked.

"Is that your pet?" Tivan asked Groot.

"His what?" Rocket asked, reaching for his gun. This was going to get bad if he kept insulting Rocket. Anna put her hand on his shoulder, giving him a calming look.

"He's doing it on purpose. Ignore him," she suggested. "You're better than him."

"You bet I am," he muttered.

Luckily Gamora intervened. "Tivan, we have been halfway around the galaxy, retrieving this orb."

"Very well, then. Let us see what you brought," he said.

Peter pulled out the orb, but he tried to do so in a manly, impressive way and ended up dropping the orb on the ground. He quickly retrieved it and handed it over to the Collector. "Oh, my new friends," he said, "before creation itself, there were six singularities." Tivan placed the orb into a device to start opening it.

 _That sounds familiar,_ Anna thought, narrowing her eyes. _Singularities. I know I've heard this before. "Before creation itself…" It was so familiar, yet she couldn't place her finger on it. "Pre-date the universe itself…"_

Anna's eyes widened. The Aether. Anna had heard Odin say almost the exact same thing when he had given them the backstory to the Aether and the Dark Elves.

"Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnant of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots. Infinity Stones."

"Except the Aether," Anna muttered. The relics remained after the creation. They all appear as stones, while the Aether is fluid and ever changing. It's dark matter. It takes life force. It's what the Dark Elves wanted. It nearly destroyed the universe…" Anna gaped.

"Yes, these stones, it seems, can only be banished by beings of extraordinary strength. Observe."

In these misty purple clouds, Tivan showed them images of these giant beings in purples, destroying things with these weaponised Infinity Stones. It was terrifying. A giant such as that with the abilities of everything they had was a nightmare. Nobody would ever be able to survive such an attack.

"These carriers can use the stone to mow down entire civilizations like wheat in a field," Tivan said.

"There's a little pee coming out of me right now," Peter said.

"Once, for a moment, a group was able to share the energy amongst themselves, but even they were quickly destroyed by it." The scene shifted to a group of people standing around in a circle, purple smoke dangerously dancing around them. It didn't take long for the energy to destroy itself. "Beautiful. Beyond compare."

"More like insanely dangerous!" Anna interjected.

"Blah, blah, blah, We're all very fascinated, Whitey. But we'd like to get paid," Rocket said.

"How would you like to get paid?" he asked.

"What do you think, fancy man? Units!"

"Very well then," he said. He went to retrieve their money.

"You're not going to use this, right?" Anna asked. "It's like the Aether. It should be hidden."

"You've been touched by four of the Infinity Stones already," he studied. "Fascinating. And you have still come out unscathed.

"Four?" Anna asked.

"Ah, you are not even aware of all," Tivan said. "The Aether, the Tesseract, the sceptre, and now this orb."

This was blowing Anna's mind. There weren't coincidences in her mind. She worked too much with the wild for that. But how was it possible that she'd already come in contact with so many of them. The universe was unending. Why was she put in the path? What was going on? Was there a significance to all this?

"Carina, stay back!"

Anna's eyes snapped to the purple stone and the pink young woman. "I will no longer be your slave!" she yelled, and grabbed ahold of the stone.

The events that transpired after this happened so quickly, Anna didn't have time to completely register what was going on. Carina had grabbed the stone, which triggered a reaction. It was as if she were "unworthy" of the stone, so it's all power started to consume her. Little by little she was destroyed, and the destruction only emitted out further and further the more she disappeared.

Groot took ahold of Rocket and jetted out of there as quickly as he could. Peter and Gamora took shelter, as did Anna across the room, just around the corner of a very large metal container with a small black and red alien fox inside. She managed to avoid the black, but the container crumpled, trapping the beast inside. Most of the other containers were destroyed, along with the animals and plants inside them.

Anna stood up, and saw the small creature pinned under the metal. If she didn't help it, it would either die there from hunger, strangle itself as it tried to escape, or cut itself on the sharp metal and bleed to death. Taking a risk on a creature she knew nothing about, Anna used her Slange to wedge under the metal sheet, and leverage it up. The creature jumped out, and stood in front of her for a moment, just staring at her with it's red eyes.

Peter and Gamora crawled out from under the table, and looked at the destruction around them. The movement scared off the creature, and Anna left to go over to them.

"What the f-" Peter started to say.

Gamora grabbed the stone and locked it back into its containment orb. The Infinity Stone was now locked safely away from doing damage, and the group headed out of the Collector's place as to not risk it getting opened again.

"How could I think Tivan could contain whatever was within the orb?" Gamora asked herself.

"Asgard might be able to store it, but I'm not sure. I mean, they already…" She stopped herself. She knew they already had some, but housing more than two? Even housing two seemed like tempting fate.

Rocket and Groot joined back up to the group. "What do you still have it for?"

"Well, what are we gonna do, leave it in there?"

"Hell no! Tivan could open it again. Or worse, a kid could find it!" Anna said.

"I can't believe you had that in your purse!" Rocket added.

"It's not a purse, It's a knapsack," Peter corrected.

"We have to bring this to the Nova Corps. There's a chance they can contain it," Gamora suggested.

"Are you kidding me? We're wanted by the Nova Corps! Just git it to Ronan!" Rocket said.

"So he can destroy the galaxy?" Peter asked.

"Are you insane?" Anna asked.

"What are you, some Saint all of a sudden? What has the galaxy ever done for you? Why would you wanna save it?" Rocket asked.

"Because I'm one of the idiots who lives in it!"

"You don't get it, Rocket. Infinity Stones aren't selective. They don't care what they destroy, or who. And there is no outrunning it!" Anna said.

"Peter, listen to me. We cannot allow the stone to fall into Ronan's hands. We have to go back to your ship and deliver it to Nova," Gamora said.

"Right, right. Okay. I think you're right. Or we could give it to someone who's not going to arrest us. Who's really nice for a whole lot of money. I think it's a good balance between both your points of view."

"Did you not just see what happened when a civilian tried to buy it!" Anna yelled. "How could you be so utterly stupid, Peter!"

"You're despicable," Gamora told him.

"I-"

"Dishonorable. Faithless!" Gamora turned to walk off, but froze. This drew everyone's attentions upward. "Oh no." There had to be dozens of alien ships floating about as a blue alien, who only could be one person, walked towards them.

"At last! I shall meet my foe and destroy him!" Drax yelled.

"You called _Ronan_!" Peter questioned.

The situation went from bad to worse, which was even surprising to Anna. Especially since she really didn't know any party involved as a clueless human. More ships arrived, and yet another blue alien emerged.

 _I guess I got my fill of blue from this trip,_ Anna thought off handedly.

"Quill! Don't you move, boy! Don't move! Get out of the way!"

Nobody listened, of course. The group turned and ran, minus Drax who charged at Ronan.

Anna didn't wait around to see that outcome.

* * *

 **I need to set reminders on my phone so I don't forget to update. I have it all written, just keep forgetting to upload. Next week I actually need to make sure I start writing again cuz this is my last bulled chapter. Been a little too occupied with Naruto/Boruto this week.**

Thanks go to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **Thunderstrike16** _\- It's all good. Thanks for the well wishes!

 _ **Jedi Jelsa777**_ \- Guardians is one of the funniest of their movies, that's for sure.

 _ **Guest 3** _\- I'm so glad you love the banter. It's my favorite part!


	7. Rescue Attempt

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just own Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 7

Rescue Attempt

While dodging the line of sight for most of Ronan's goons, Yondu's men were another story. Most of them were rushing to Quill, who along with Gamora and Rocket, took off in tiny ships to try and take out the enemy forces. Anna would've joined had she known how to fly a freaking spaceship, but she didn't. She remained on the ground with Groot, who was too big to fit in the tiny ships anyway.

Once they took off, most of the other's took off after them. Ronan's people wanted Gamora and the orb, and Yondu wanted Quill - a story which Anna still wasn't privy to. Then again, Peter did seem like the type of person to make a lot of enemies with his humor and selfish action. He seemed like one of those guys you hated to like, but couldn't help but do so. But none of this was on her mind as she turned and disappeared around the corner of an alleyway for cover.

Her eyes were focused on the people running by - many of which were just resident minors, but she could still see goons from both sides passing by. Backing away, her grey eyes shifted to her path, only to be stopped in her tracks by a very unexpected sight. Before her was a vaguely familiar alien.

The small creature that was the size of her hand stood in a defensive pose as their black eyes focused on Anna. It was the alien fox-like creature she'd released at the Collector's home. The black and red fur fluffed up to help make it look bigger, but it didn't actually need it to because now, instead of the creature being the size of her hand, it grew before her eyes as the hair fluffed up to the size of a bear.

Anna took a step back towards the entrance, her and twitching over her weapon on her thigh. It didn't like that. The jowls lifted and a deep growl came through clenched fangs. The black eyes that were narrowed at her flashed red, like the stripes on its back, then, as they opened back to normal slowly started to turn a bluish-gray. Anna had no idea what kind of creature this was, but the behavior was unsettling to her.

" _Why did you help me?"_

Anna's posture straightened, and her eyes widened in surprise. Those words came from no moving mouth. It didn't echo in the alley, or get swallowed by the noise of people screaming of terrified people. The sound was inside Anna's head.

It was different than the voices of the hallucinations of Phil and her brother. This was a new voice, one that didn't belong in her own thoughts. It seemed out of place; an invasion into a place so private.

The alien fox let out a growl. " _Answer the question: Why did you help me?"_

There it was again.

"What the hell…" Anna muttered.

" _Ignorant child, answer me!"_

She felt as if she was insane for doing this, but Anna answered, "Because I know what it's like to be a captive. Nobody should have to go through that."

The alien relaxed a bit, no longer standing as if he (Anna was going by the voice) would attack her. His eyes were still a little narrowed, but there was something about the look in his eyes that seemed extremely familiar.

" _I see,"_ he said, slowly shrinking down back to the original size Anna had seen him as. " _I am Rey."_ The creature stopped in front of her and bowed his head. Before she could do anything more, he jumped up onto her shoulder and perched himself there.

"What are you doing?" She asked dumbfoundedly.

" _I owe you my freedom. I shall remain with you until that debt is repaid."_

"That's not nece-"

" _Just shut your mouth, child and move. I believe your friends need assistance."_

* * *

By the time Anna made her way back to where the Collector's ruined home was, Groot was dragging a limp Drax out of a pool of green ooze. One of those small pods that the rest of the escapees took off in landed near them, and out came a rambling Rocket.

"Is he breathing?" Anna asked, kneeling down next to Drax on the opposite side of Groot.

"I am Groot."

 _Should've expected that,_ Anna thought.

Groot grew his finger out long and sharp. He used this needle like finger to poke a hole into Drax's sternum. A moment later he coughed back to life. Anna signed and sat back on her butt in relief.

Rocket walked over to them, all the while spewing insults. "Blasted idiot. They all idiots. Quill just got himself captured. None of this would've happened if you didn't try single handedly take on a frickin army!"

"Dude, not now," Anna said. He may be right, but that didn't mean he needed to bring it up at a time like this.

"You're right. I was a fool. All the anger, all the rage, it was just to cover my loss," Drax admitted sadly.

"Oh boo-hoo-hoo. 'My wife and child are dead.'"

Groot gasped in shock at Rocket's callous remarks.

"Don't be a dick," Anna warned.

"Oh, I don't care if it's mean! Everybody's got dead people! That's no excuse to get everybody else dead along the way! Come on, Groot. Ronan has the stone. The only chance we got is to get to the other side of the universe as fast as we can and maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to live full lives before that whack-job ever gets there."

"So you're just going to run away? That's it?" Anna gaped in disbelief.

Groot stood up with a look of defiance on his face. "I am Groot."

Rocket turned to him and looked shocked. "Save them? How?"

"I am Groot."

"I know they're the only friends we ever had, but there's an arm of Ravagers around them. And there's only two of us!"

Now it was Drax's turn to dramatically take to his feet. "Three," he said.

"Four," Anna added. "And a half."

" _I'm offended by this remark."_

Rocket turned around, clearly fighting with himself on what he wanted to do. Frustratedly, the raccoon like alien started to kick a small patch of grass. "Ahhh! You're making me beat up grass!"

Once Rocket got himself under control, they made their way back to the Malano.

"What's our plan?" Anna asked.

"You'll see."

"I don't like the sound of that."

* * *

Anna stood behind rocket with her arms crossed looking out the front of the ship. "This is a really stupid plan."

"Shut up," Rocket said. "You didn't come up with anything better."

" _He speaks truth,"_ Rey said.

 _Oh shut up,_ she mentally said while rolling her eyes.

The Malano was "parked" in front of the large Ravager ship. They had just fired one harmless shot at them to gain their attentions. The goal was to get their friends back by threatening to destroy the whole ship, but that just defeated the purpose of rescuing them if they were just going to blow them up if they didn't. Drax was currently positioned on top of the Malano with the dangerous weapon Rocket had created that could destroy moons. Needless to say, Anna was a little nervous letting Drax of all people handle such a weapon.

"Attention, idiots," Rocket said over the communicator. "The lunatic on top of this craft is holding a Hadron Enforcer. It's a weapon of my own design."

"Blowing them up is a dumb move," Anna repeated herself.

"If you don't hand over our companions now, he's gonna tear your ship a new one. A very big new one!"

There was no answer. "They're not buying it. Tell them something else before they rip _us_ a new one."

"Fine," Rocket groaned. "I'm giving you to the count of five. Five..."

"What?" Anna gaped, her eyes wide and her mouth agap. "Are you stupid! You can't just-"

"Four…"

"Give them five seconds! That's not eno-

"Three…"

" _NO!"_ That was Peter's voice on the other end. " _No! Wait, hold on!"_

" _No, no! Don't!"_ Gamora added in.

" _Rocket, it's me, for God sakes! We figured it out! We're fine!"_

"Oh, hey Quill. What's going on?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "You're all idiots."

* * *

A short time later Gamora and Quill were released to the Malano. The group sat in the main area listening to the explanation as to why the Ravager's were not going to kill Peter now. Anna could see he did what he had to, but the situation was all messed up.

"You call that "figured it out"? We're gonna rob the guys who just beat us senseless?" Rocket asked.

"Oh, you wanna talk senseless?" Peter asked. "How about trying to save us by blowing us up?"

"Told you," Anna said.

"We were only gonna blow you up if they didn't turn you over," Rocket explained.

"And how on earth were they gonna turn us over when you only gave them a count of five?" Peter pressed.

"Told you," Anna reiterated.

"Shut up you," Rocket told Anna. "Well, we didn't have time to work out the minutiae of the plan. This is what we get for acting altruistically!"

"I am Groot."

"They _are_ ungrateful!" Rocket agreed.

"What's important now is we get the Ravagers' army to help us save Xandar," Gamora interjected.

"Can we really trust that they'll help us?" Anna asked.

"Keep talking, kid," Rocket said. "She's got a point. We do it, so we can give the Stone to Yondu who's just gonna sell to somebody even worse?"

"We'll figure that part out later," Peter said.

"Can we afford to put that off?" Anna asked. "It's a pretty big part."

"We have to _stop_ Ronan," Gamora said, trying to get them back on the first issue.

"How?"

"I have a plan."

Everybody just stared at Quill. That was either going to bring something so idiotic that it could work, or it would cause the destruction of the universe.

"You have a plan?"

"Yes."

"First of all, you're copying me from when I said I had a plan," Rocket kept going.

"No, I'm not. People say that all the time. It's not that unique of a thing to say," Peter said.

"Do you guys have to argue about everything?" Anna sighed.

"We don't have time for this," Gamora agreed.

"Secondly, I don't even believe you have a plan."

"I have part of a plan!"

"They're not even acknowledging us," Anna muttered.

"What percentage of a plan do you have?" Drax asked.

"You don't get to ask questions after the nonsense you pulled on Knowhere," Gamora stated.

"Okay, don't you step into this too," Anna groaned.

"I just saved Quill!" Drax exclaimed.

"We've already established that you destroying the ship that I'm on is not saving me," Peter corrected.

"When did we establish it?" Drax asked, seemingly offended by his own inability to pay attention while they were talking.

"Like three seconds ago!" Peter answered.

"I wasn't listening, I was thinking of something else," Drax stated, as if this was a justifiable reason for his lack of attention.

"Oh!" Gamora let out in frustration.

"She's right. You don't get an opinion," Rocket told Drax. He then turned to Quill and proceeded to ask him the same question that Drax had asked. "What percentage of a plan?"

"I don't know," Peter said. "Twelve percent."

"Twelve percent?" Rocket let out the loudest, practically fake laugh Anna had ever heard. He couldn't cut it as a spy unless he pretended to be a raccoon.

"That's a fake laugh," Peter said.

"It's real!"

"Totally fake!"

"That is the most real, authentic, hysterical laugh of my entire life because that is not a plan."

"It's barely a concept," Gamora agreed.

"You're taking their side?" Peter gaped.

"A plan needs to start somewhere. And it's more than the rest of us have," Anna said.

"I am Groot."

"So what, it's better than eleven percent? What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Rocket commented on the true meaning behind Groots words.

"Thank you, Groot. Thank you. See? Groot's the only one of you who has a clue," Peter said.

 _Well, thanks_ , Anna thought. _Just ignore what I said and go thank the tree_. When Groot started to eat the leaf protruding out of his shoulder though, it made her feel a little better for Peter to be eating his words.

"Guys, come on. Yondu is gonna be here in two seconds. He's expecting to hear this big plan of ours. I need your help. I look around at us, you know what I see? Losers." That didn't get the right reaction. Peter quickly went on to clarify his poor choice of words. "I mean, like, folks who have lost stuff. And we have. Man, we have. All of us. Our homes, our families, normal lives. And usually life takes more than it gives, but not today. Today it's given us something; it has given us a chance."

"To do what?" Drax asked.

"To give a shit. For once, not run away. I, for one, am not gonna stand by and watch as Ronan wipes out billions of innocent lives."

"But, Quill," Rocket said, "stopping Ronan, it's impossible. You're asking us to die."

"Yeah, I guess I a. I…" He shook his head and turned around in defeat. He didn't believe any of them would be willing to help.

"Quill," Gamora said. "I have lived most my life surrounded by my enemies." She rose to her feet. "I will be grateful to die among my friends."

Drax stood next. "You are an honorable man, Quill. I will fight beside you. And in the end, see my wife and daughter again."

Anna stood, her ams still crossed. "I was always in. It's my job to help save innocent people. It's what SHIELD does."

It was then Groot's turn, leaving only Rocket left after he said, "I am Groot."

"Oh, what the hell. I don't got that long a lifespan, anyway," Rocket said, finally joining the rest on their feet. "Now I'm standing. You all happy? We're all standing up now. Bunch of jackasses standing in a circle."

* * *

Once the plan was concocted together, as a team, it was time to give it to Yondy and his band of Ravagers. Anna stood next to Gamora petting the fluffy fur around Rey's neck as she listened to Gamora start off the meeting by addressing the group, and showing off a diagram to help teach them the plan better.

"The stone reacts to anything organic. The bigger the target, the bigger the power surge," she explained.

"All Ronan's gotta do is touch the stone to the planet's surface and zap! All plants, animals, Nova Corps…" Peter said.

"Everything will die," Gamora finished for him.

"So Ronan does not make the surface. Rocket will lead a team to blow a hole in the Dark Aster's starboard hull. Then, our graft and Yondu's will enter," Peter explained.

"Won't there be hundreds of Sakaaran soldiers inside?" one Ravager asked.

"I think of Sakaaran as paper people," Drax said unthreatened. The person smiled at him and gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder, but Drax, not understanding the playful jesterur, gae back a death glare and what looked like a punch to come.

"Once they know we're on board, Ronan will isolate himself behind impenetrable security doors on deck. Which I can disable by dismantling the power source," Gamora said.

"So much for impenetrable…"

"We'll make it to the flight deck, and I'll use the Hadron Enforcer to kill Ronan," Peter said.

"Once Ronan is dead, we will retrieve the stone. Use these devices to contain it," She said passing out more orb containers like the one they had originally gotten the Stone in. "If you touch it, it will kill you."

"I'll contact one of the Nova officers who arrested us. Hopefully, they'll believe we're there to help," Peter said.

"There's one more thing we need to complete the plan," Rocket piped in. He pointed to one of Yondu's men standing there listening to the whole plan. "That guy's eye!"

"No, no, we don't! No, we don't need that guy's eye," Peter corrected scoldingly.

"No, seriously," Rocket sniggered. "I need it. It's important to me."

"Ronan's fleet has been spotted, and we will arrive in t-minus fifteen minutes," one of the navigators announced.

 _And so it all begins,_ Anna thought.

" _You will be the death of me, child,"_ Rey said.

"You're the one that decided to follow me," she told him.

" _A poor choice on my part."_

* * *

 **Sorry for the late update. I've been having a hard time writing lately, but I went and saw Captain Marvel yesterday, and then got home and there were several Marvel marathons on tv so I sat down with them on and pushed through with a little bit of inspiration. Anyway, hope you guys like it.**

Thanks to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **Jedi Jesla777 -**_ There are just so many good scenes in this chapter where I found it hard to appropriately put dialog in for Anna without changing the the story completely.


	8. No Sacrifice, No Victory

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel, just Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 8

No Sacrifice, No Victory

 _I've done far worse with far less_ , was the thought passing through Anna's head as the biggest moment of her life so far was about to take place. One could say that was debatable, but as far as she was concerned, saving the universe was the biggest thing she'd ever amount to doing with her life. Though, she supposed this was the second time that had happened with her. Thor had done the heavy work with the Dark Elves, but Anna was apart of saving the universe then too. Now she was just playing a slightly bigger role.

The ranking if asked, though she was surtain nobody would ever ask that question, was this as number one, the Dark Elves second, and saving the timeline third. Had she not been controlled during the Battle of New York, perhaps that would've made the list too in a top five, but that was more so on her worst moments list.

Sentimental significance was a whole other story though. That would be a ranking for another time. There was too much as stake to stop and contemplate that ranking. After all, Anna needed to concentrate on fitting into the purplish-brown spandex like suit that matched the others'. She felt rather ridiculous wearing color coordinated suits with the other escapees, but she wasn't the one calling the shots.

"Where did we even get these?" Anna commented as she wiggled her shoulder and adjusted the thigh holder for her Asgardian weapon and her gun on her hip. She was addressing the others as they all met up in the hallway heading towards the Milano.

"It is concerning by the Ravagers on this ship that are mostly male have aquired these," Gamora said back to her comment. The group split up, with Rocket going to one ship, while the rest headed to the Milano. "And why are there matching Male versions."

"Maybe there was a sale. Buy one get four free," Anna chuckled. "Good thing Groot doesn't need clothes, otherwise we wouldn't have had enough."

"I am Groot."

"It is a good thing," Anna agreed with a smile.

"Did you just understand him?" Drax asked.

Anna blinked. She had answered without thinking, like she knew she heard what she had always heard when Groot spoke, but somehow she just knew what it meant. Something that hadn't happened before in any situation for her. Not like this.

"Uh, I guess," Anna answered, taking her seat and buckling up.

" _That would be my doing."_ Rey hopped up onto her lap and sat up incredibly, unnaturally stiff facing the front window. " _We are omni-linguistic. If I so wish, I can share that with you. Tis irritating how often you get annoyed in your head when you do not understand something."_

 _You're annoying,_ Anna thought childishly. _And rude. I should've left you back on Knowhere._

" _I heard that."_

 _You were supposed to._

The Milano exited the Ravager bay and headed down towards Xandar. Anna's grip on the armrests of her chair tightened. The only ship she'd ever been on that had ever gotten into a battle or something remotely like it was when Jupiter went down after she tried to destroy the 0-8-4. This was most likely going to be ten times more unpleasant.

"This is a terrible plan," Gamora said.

"Hey, you're the one that said you wanted to die among friends," Peter answered.

The immense Dark Astor ship entered into the atmosphere. The fleet of Ravager ships surrounded it the best they could with their numbers, but the backup from the Nova Corps that they were counting on hadn't arrived yet. In order for this plan to work, they needed those numbers. Time would tell if they even stood a chance, and if they'd show up. After all, every single one of them were technically wanted criminals. Except for maybe Rey.

Over the communication system lined in order to make sure everyone was doing what was needed, Yondu let out his order with a yell, " _Fire!"_

As ordered, the ships fired at the Dark Astor. The explosion bounced off the ship forming the largest cloud of fire Anna had ever seen (also the only one she'd ever seen, but that wasn't the point). It would've been too easy had it actually managed to take the ship down, wouldn't it? Nothing ever was so simple when you were apart of the good side.

" _Cover it down! Submerged!_ " Yondu ordered.

As instructed, the ships lurched forward and down towards the ground. The point was to avoid the fire, and to go under and around it. While the Dark Astor waited to see what the attacking ships were doing, as for all they knew they were still in front of them as the fire surrounded their view of the attackers, the Milano and Ravagers headed up to the belly of the ship.

"Rocket, hurry!" Peter called out.

Rocket, along with two other ships, were supposed to get an opening for the Milano to enter into the Dark Astor. While they were doing so, the crew of the Astor figured out what was going on and sent out their battleships to counter all of the Ravager's ships. The thrusters of the Dark Astor activated, moving the ship forward faster now.

Right after they kicked on, though, Rocket finally called out what they wanted to hear, "Quill! Yondu! Now!"

The Milano and Yondu's ships were weaving in and out of the way of debis and attacking ships like this was some sort of Star Wars movie. It was like she'd watched this scene play out a hundred times before, but now she was in the middle of it all. All she knew was she wouldn't be able to fall asleep here like she sometimes did resting on Tony's shoulder (Something he never let her live down since the first time she'd done it when she was undercover at his place in Malibu).

" _Aw, hell! I'm going down, Quill. No more games with me, boy! I'll see you at the end of this!"_ Yondu said.

Just sitting there in her seat with Rey on her lap was torture. Quill was driving, and there was nothing else that could've been done on her part. She had to rely on his flying and shooting abilities as more and more ships tried to take them down. Finally, one blast hit the left side of the ship, just beyond the window.

 _If I die here, nobody back home is gonna know what the hell happened to me,_ Anna thought. _They'll just think, "Oh, hey she ran off again. Maybe she's in hiding with her evil husband."_

" _You have an evil husband?"_ Rey asked.

 _No! And totally not he time!_

"There are too many of them, Rocket! We'll never make it up there!" Gamora informed him.

As if they'd heard her cry for help, several star like looking ships took out surrounding enemy ships and helped clear a path to escort them to the Dark Astor. This, as Anna had finally come to realize, was the Nova Corps actually doing a good job. This was what she should've seen of them instead of them unjustly imprisoning her. Perhaps she was still a little bitter about that, but there was no time to dwell. And she was grateful for the backup.

" _Peter Quill, this is Denarian Saal of the Nova Corps. For the record, I advised against trusting you here."_

" _Yeah, that's what you decide to say when you're saving people's lives,"_ Rey growled. " _How very unprofessional. Here I thought Nova were noble beings."_

"They got my "dick" message!" Peter exclaimed excitedly.

" _Prove me wrong."_

The next thing Anna knew, the Milano ws crashing through the opening Rocket had made for them with Drax cracking up in one of the back seats. Anna clutched onto Rey to prevent him from flying out of their seat. She was on the verge of having flashbacks from the crash into the 40's. The only thing keeping her grounded was Drax's excitement.

After shooting out dozens of enemy goons as they slid inside the ship, they came to a stop. Drax raised his hands up and yelled, "Yes! Yes!"

Anna unbuckled and leaned forward just in case she was going to puke. Rey jumped off her lap and towards a terrified looking Groot just so he wouldn't risk getting vomit in his fur. "Let's not do that again."

"We're just like Kevin Bacon," Gamora said.

How the hell are we like Kevin Bacon? Anna asked herself completely confused as she how she thought that. How she even knew about him was beyond her. It had to have been Quill. Her statement, and the fact that Three Degrees to Kevin Bacon was now on Anna's brain, didn't matter.

Their ragtag team exited the Milano and stepped into pitch darkness. If there were enemies surrounding them, there was no way they would've known. Anna was defensive, Jern Slange in her hand with Rey on her shoulder, ready to pounce and grow larger at the first sight of danger.

"I can barely see," Drax said.

Not that Anna could see it, but Groot raised his hand, and a few moments later, Groot raised his hand and out game these small particles that glowed a yellow light. They almost looked like plant-like jellyfish. The quarter sized particles floated around the area, illuminating the path for them.

"When did you learn to do that?" Drax asked.

"How is a better question," Anna muttered, smiling lightly as one of the particles floated around her outstretched hand.

"I'm pretty sure the answer is "I am Groot,"" Peter said.

"The flight deck is three hundred meters this way," Gamora said, bringing the team back to the task at hand.

With just as much caution as they had been using the in dark, the team pressed onward further into ship. So far it was quiet, but it never lasted. Even when Anna fond herself crawling through ducts to get information covertly while undercover. They're never as strong as they look.

"I want you all to know that I am grateful for your acceptance after my blunders," Drax said as they continued to move. "It is pleasing to once again have friends. You, Quill, are my friend."

 _Aw, isn't that sweet,_ Anna thought. _If only the Avengers were so sweet in the thick of it._

" _You are too sentimental. It is useless."_

 _You're useless._

"Thanks," Peter replied awkwardly.

"This dumb tree, he is my friend."

"You don't usually call your friends dumb," Anna said. "Just for the record."

Groot just hummed in acknowledgement.

"This know-it all Terin, she is my friend."

 _I should just be happy he's trying,_ Anna though _t. Accept the compliment, Agent Barnes._

"And this green whore, she, too-"

Fed up with everything he'd been saying about her during this whole adventure, Gamora spat out, "Oh, you must stop!" Before she could continue with what she was saying, however, a blue android intercepted their progression across the Dark Astor. This woman, from what Anna had learned from Gamora in the last couple days, was Gamora's adopted sister under Thanos. Her name, she believed, was Nebula. And their relationship was worse than Thor and Loki's.

"Gamora, look at what you have done. You have always been weak. You stupid, traitorous-"

The bad guys typically liked their long speeches before they "killed" the hero. Drax took this opportunity to shoot her, sending her flying off into the distance. For someone that wasn't the brightest on the team of misfits, it was a very smart move on his part.

"Nobody talks to my friends like that," Drax said.

After the shock wore off of what Drax had said and done, Gamora turned to them and got everyone, once again, back on track. "Head to the flight deck. I'll shut down the power to the security doors."

"You got it, just be careful," Anna said, nodding as she ran off with the men.

* * *

As the group ran through the ship towards the flight deck, they were intercepted by Ronan's crew. They were stuck in a small corridor and greatly outnumbered. Taking care of this situation would be messy and one of the more difficult fights she'd experienced seeing as she wasn't completely aware of the style of fighting the men around her were accustomed to.

"Star-Lord," the leader greated Peter.

"Finally," he exclaimed.  
Jern Slange extended, but before Anna couls charge forward and attack the first goon that move towards her, Rey jumped off her shoulder, and before he even made it to the man, was the size of a bear. The guy scream. He had no clue what hit him as Rey's mouth wrapped around his shoulder and arm, ripping it away from the rest of his body.

"Ew," Anna audibly said before ducking as another guy shot at her. She swung out, twisting her wrist to change the fluidity of her weapon, and the rope like weapon wrapped around his neck. She pulled it as she turned around, simultaneously shortening the length of the weapon as she did, so it pulled the man over her back and to the ground at her feet. Before she could do anything more, Rey was back at it. He bit down on the man's head and pulled him away.

"Dude, seriously! I got it," she complained.

"Then move faster, child." He almost seemed like he was laughing at her, having a good time in the fight.

Drax managed to grab ahold of the leader, and started to pull apart his head, which was rather disgusting if Anna was being completely honest. As he yelled out in pain as he was dying, Drax said, "Finger to the throat means death!" He dropped the man to the ground and turned to Peter for acknowledgement of his growth with the language.

"Yeah, sorta," Peter said. They turned to finally make their way out of the hallway that they'd been stuck fighting in, but before they could do so, more men started to come after them. "Oh no."

Groot stepped up and cried out. He grew out his arm and skewered a majority of the goons, then whipped them around, taking out the rest that he hadn't stabbed. It was a bit overkill, but it took out more men in a fraction of the time than it had just moment before. Anna wasn't the only one that was impressed either. Peter and Drax were left smiling like goofballs at what Groot did.

"Go Groot," Anna said, patting his arm as they moved forward finally. "Come on, we gotta keep moving!"

" _Quill, you gotta hurry. The city's been evacuated, but we're getting our asses kicked down here,"_ Rocket said over comms.

"That's all good and well, but we can't yet," Anna mumbled more to herself than to anybody else.

"Gamora hasn't opened the door!" Peter explained.

It was only a few more moments after that that the door finally opened so that the rest of the team could go in. Gamora joined them as they entered. Using the same gun Rocket had created and threatened to use a few hours before on the Ravager ship to shoot Ronan.

"You did it!" Drax exclaimed.

However, Ronan rose and usd the power from the Infinity Stone in his warhammer to throw the group aside. Anna shot back and since Rey had been right behind her, landed on his side. That was good for her landing, but not so comfortable for him. Drax rushed back up and towards Ronan like he has before, but Ronan grabbed him by the throat and held him up cockily.

"I was mistaken," Ronan said. "I do remember your family. Their screams were pitiful. I-"

In flew Rocket interrupting Ronan's cruel taunting. Ronan seemed to be down for the count finally, but so it also seemed the ship. The Dark Astor took a dive heading towards the city down below.

Gamora pulled Drax up to their spot while Peter retrieved Rocket from the ship. " _Now we die with honor."_

Anna looked to Rey and sighed as he hopped back up onto her shoulder. Everything she'd done here was important, but had it all really been far nothing? All the research she'd done for Phil wouldn't get to him. Her hopes of finding and helping her husband would be for naught. She'd die in space and none of her friend and family would ever know what happened to her.

" _They'd be proud of you if they knew, child."_

 _Thanks, Rey._ Anna gave a small smile, but then jumped as she saw something enclose around her peripheral vision. She instinctively moved away from it, moving closer to the group. It wasn't until she did that that she realized what was closing around her and the rest of them was actually Groot.

Once again the little yellow lights illuminated an otherwise black space. It immediately relaxed her. It reminded her of how a dark room full of candles made her feel, or the warm fireplace up at Fury's cabin. It felt like home.

"No, Groot! You can't! You'll die," Rocket protested. "Why are you doing this? Why?"

"We are Groot."

A few tears trickled down Anna's cheeks as she realized that Groot was using himself, sacrificing himself for them because the group of them were a team, a family. Groot was really the first one to have realized that all the way back on Knowhere.

That's when everything went black again.

* * *

The amount of times Anna had ever been knocked unconscious was concerning. How much trauma had she caused her brain in her short life. Would she end up in twenty years (if she lived that long - that wouldn't be a given if she kept up what she'd been doing with her life so far) with alzheimer's or something? Nothing could be done about that now.

She woke up not too long after they impacted on the ground. The first thing she saw was a devastated Rocket crying in a pile of sticks.

 _No_ , she thought, looking around them. _Oh Groot…_

" _I am fine, thank you for asking."_ Rey struggled out from the pile of sticks and hobbled over a few feet to where Anna was laying on her side, struggling to prop herself up. She'd gotten out okay for the most part, except for two sticks protruding out of her in two separate areas: one in her thigh and the other in her abdomen. She groaned, but didn't pull them out. The smartest thing was to leave them in until she could get them taken out by professionals. No need to risk bleeding to death when she'd somehow survived the crash.

Peter, Gamora, and Drax seemed to make it out better than Anna had, but were still on the ground trying to compose themselves as well.

"I called him an idiot," Rocket muttered.

"He knew how you really felt," Anna said, placing a hand on his tiny shoulder. "You two knew each other better than anybody. He knew."

The cries from several of the surviving people that were walking amongst the wreckage pulled Anna's attention away from Rocket, and to the woman. The woman was looking past them and to the ship, which directed Anna's eyes back to the blue alien that had thought they'd taken out before they'd crash landed on Xandar.

"No," Anna muttered, barely audible from small Rey's growl as his fur stood up on end.

"You killed Groot!" Rocket shouted. Before Anna could grab ahold of him, he shot toward Ronan, but was knocked to the side with the Infinity warhammer. It was like Rocket was a fly buzzing around his head. Anna's eyes followed Rocket to see if he was okay. He landed hard, but he quickly got to work on something that he'd found where he landed. Perhaps the fight wasn't over just yet...

"Behold!" Ronan said to the people. "Your Guardians of the Galaxy." He raised his hands, gesturing to the fallen teammates. "What fruit have they wrought? Only that my father and his father shall finally know vengeance. People of Xandar, the time has come to rejoice and renounce your paltry gods! Your salvation is at hand." He raised the warhammer once more, preparing himself and the weapon to begin the destruction of everything around them.

Peter got up and started to make a move. Even making Anna pause.

"Oooh-ooh Child," he sang, using very bad dance moves as he went. Anna struggled to stand as she watched him. She leaned all her weight onto her one good leg and kept her hand by her abdominal wound to make sure she wasn't hurting herself further by moving. Gamora stood as well, watching as well. "Things are gonna get easier. Ooh-oo Child, things'll get brighter." He pointed to Ronan. "Listen to these words. "Ooh-oo child, things are gonna get easier. Ooh-oo child, things'll get brighter." Now bring it down hard!" Anna didn't even know what to call the dance moves he was doing, or even if they had a name. "Someday, we'll get it together and we'll get it-"

"What are you doing?" Ronan asked.

"Dance-off, Bro," Peter said. "Me and you!" He held out his hand to Gamora." Gamora!" She shook her head. "Subtle. Take it back." He just continued on dancing.

"What are you doing?" Ronan reiterated.

"I'm distracting you, you big turd blossom!"

Using the improvised weapon Rocket made from the remnants of his previous weapon. Drax held onto him to secure Rocket as he shot at Ronan, hitting the warhammer. The weapon shattered, knocking the Infinity stone out of it. Peter left forward to grab it while Ronan also reached. Peter, thankfully, got ot it first.

Unfortunately, the stone was no match for Peter. The second he grabbed it, it started to destroy every fiber of him. He wasn't strong enough to hold the power of the stone along within himself. Gamora reached out first, offering her hand. "Peter, take my hand!" she called out. Anna could barely make it out as she herself struggled to move towards Peter, along with everybody else.

With Gamora to one side, and Anna, Rocket, and Drax to the other, the stone's progression of destroying Peter halted. There was damage done to all of them, but it wasn't going any further than the severe pain and damage that was already done.

"You're mortal! _How_?" Ronan demanded answers.

"You said it yourself, bitch," Peter said. "We're the Guardians of the Galaxy." Together with the power of the stone, Peter opened his hand and used it to destroy Ronan. Immediately following this, Gamora took one of the containment orbs and enclosed the stone within it.

The group let go of one another, and in order to keep standing, Anna leaned back against Drax. She let out a big sigh. "Did we win?" she asked too soon.

"Well, well, well," Yondu's voice said, catching their attention. "Quite the light show." He laughed. "Ain't this sweet. But you got some business to attend to before all the nookie-nookie starts."

"Peter, you can't," Gamora said. "Peter."

"You gotta reconsider this, Yondu," Peter nearly begged, moving the orb behind his back protectively. "I don't know who you're selling this to, but the only way the universe can survive is if you give it to the Nova Corps."

"I may be as pretty as an angel, but I sure as hell ain't one," Yondu said. "Hand it over, son." Reluctantly, Peter handed over an orb to Yondu, who in turn laughed and turned to leave with the rest of his Ravager men.

"Yondu," Peter called out. "Do not open that orb. You know that, right? You've seen what it does to people." Yondu just chuckled and walked off. Once he knew they took off Xandar he said, "He's gonna be pissed when he realizes I switched out the orb on him." He brought out the orb from his fanny pack.

"He was gonna kill you, Peter," Gamora laughed.

"Oh, I know, but he was about the only family I had," Peter said.

"No," Gamora corrected. "He wasn't."

"For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother,"" Anna quoted. "There's a bond between teammates that's like no other. No other family like it. None of us will ever be alone again."

* * *

 **This took soooo long to right just because of all the fight scenes in this part. But I hope it's okay. I'm totally heading to bed after this because I worked on it all day.**

Thanks go to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **Jedi Jesla777**_ \- A month can't pass fast enough! So much is going on in April. Endgame, I have to dogsit for my neighbor that's getting married in Ireland for a little more than a week which is delaying me from moving out completely, but I'm still moving that month!


	9. Sweet Goodbyes

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just own Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 9

Sweet Goodbyes

"You have our sincerest apologies and our undying gratitude for what we put you through, and for what you've done for Xandar, Miss Barnes," one of the medical officers in the Nova Corps said as he escorted her from the medical ward back to the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy - a name that was rather pretentious but was sticking. "We'll be making protocol changes to try and prevent what happened to you from happening to others."

"Good," Anna said. She was moving slow so not to hurt herself. She was all patched up, but there was still a chance to pull her stitches. It was, by far, not the worst she'd ever been injured, but she knew her limits to not hurt herself more. "Thank you. I know how hard it can be when protocol says one thing, and the right thing is another. This is a step in the right direction."

"Most people wouldn't be so understanding, so thank you," he said.

"Back on Ear- uh, Terra, I work for an organization that's similar, so I get it," Anna said. "Keep up the good work."

Finally, Anna met up with the rest of the team outside. Drax and Rocket stood together with Rocket holding a small white pot with one of the tiny groot twigs from when he saved them, and Gamora and Quill came out with Nova Prime.

"We tried to keep it as close to the original as possible. We salvaged as much as we could," Corpsman Dey said, showing them the new Milano.

Anna smiled. It was so cool that they'd been able to do a whole rebuild of a ship in just a couple weeks. The Guardians had remained on Xandar to help clean up a bit, and to settle their criminal records. They had expunged all of their records, which in Anna's case wasn't a big deal since she was innocent, but for the rest of them, it was a bigger deal. This was a whole new start for them.

"Wow, I…" Peter trailed off. It was clear that most people never went out of their way to do something so nice for him. He was moved. "Thank you."

"I have a family who are alive because of you. Your criminal records have also been expunged. However, I have to warn you against breaking any laws in the future."

"Question," Rocket said. "What if I see something that I want to take, an it belongs to someone else?"

"Are you seriously asking this?" Anna asked, petting Rey who was asleep in her arm.

"Well, you will be arrested," Dey answered.

"But what if i want it more than the person who has it?" Rocket pressed.

"Still illegal," Dey said.

"That doesn't follow," Rocket said. "No, I want it more, sir. Do you understand." Anna rolled her eyes, and Gamora walked by laughing. "What are you laughing at? Why? I can't have a discussion with this gentleman?" Gamora was pulling his attention to her, so he followed her to the Milano.

"What if someone does something irksome and I decide to remove his spine?" Drax asked.

"That's," Dey said, shocked at the question, "That's actually murder. It's one of the worst crimes of all, so also illegal."

"Hmm," Drax hummed, seriously contemplating what he'd said as he moved forward as well.

"They're doomed," Anna said, shaking her head.

"They'll be fine, Dey," Peter said, giving Anna a look. "I'm gonna keep an eye on 'em."

"You?" Dey asked. "Maybe her, but you?"

"Yeah, me," Peter said.

"Lord help us all," Anna laughed and headed to the ship with the rest of them.

* * *

Everybody was finally on the Milano. Gamora being the exception, everyone got strapped in and ready to go. Gamora was instead standing next to Peter in the pilots chair.

"So, what should we do next? Something good? Something bad? A bit of both?" Peter asked.

"We'll follow your lead, Star-Lord," Gamora said.

"You're just feeding his ego, Gamora," Anna said with a smirk. "We don't need his head to get any bigger than it already is."

"Enough out of you, Barnes," Peter said. "We'll do a bit of both!"

"How about dropping me off back on Asgard, hm?" Anna asked.

"Fine, if we must," Peter groaned.

* * *

The trip to Asgard was going to take several hours to get to, and through several jump stations which they had to wait to get through for several different reasons, primarily for the passengers health, and for the equipment on the ship. It gave them all a little time to settle into small bunks (with the exception of Anna). While the rest of the team did so, Anna sat with her seat laid back petting Rey.

She wasn't sure he actually liked being pet like a common animal, but she supposed it felt too good for him to really protest too much. He was adamant he wasn't a pet, but after a few time reiterating that, he'd relax and start to fall asleep while she stroked his fur.

 _You sure there isn't someplace you don't want to get dropped off?_ Anna mentally asked the alien on her lap.

"I have nothing better to do."

"I'd watch my fingers if I were you," Rocket said as he walked back into the room with his Groot pot.

"Hm? Why's that?" Anna asked.

"That thing on your lap is a Devox. They're known to be dangerous, that's why they're nearly extinct," he explained.

Anna looked down to Rey who had finally fallen asleep. "They are?"

"Yeah, kinda jealous," Rocket said. "If you gain one's trust they're kickass partners. Like Groot."

"You really think he'll start growing again?" Anna asked, nodding to the little white pot.

"He is already regenerating," he said with a small smile, holding the awakened twig Groot up for her to see. The little sapling groot smiles up at her and then yawned. "He should be able to come out of there in a couple months."

"That's incredible," Anna said, smiling widely at him. "I'm so happy he's not gone."

"Yeah, we'll, Groot's not gone but you're gonna be," Rocket said. He set Groot down in his seat and walked over to one of the cabinets. "I guess since we're supposed to be friends or teammates or whatever, you could have this." He threw something across the ship to her. "If ya need help, let us know."

Anna had caught the device easily and examined it for a moment. It was a small communication device, kinda like a pager with small buttons on it to text a message. It was smaller than a cell phone, but bigger than a typical pager, but simple enough to use. "Thanks, Rocket. This is appreciated."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now let's drop you off so we can go make some units."

* * *

 **A short chapter, but finally wrapping up all the GotG stuff. Hope it was an enjoyable arc.**

Thanks to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **Jedi Jesla777**_ \- I love watching the aminals. The dogs are just precious.

 _ **shizzlethis1**_ \- There she goes! Back towards Earth. Not too complicated, but a way home is a way home. Bucky will be coming, but you just gotta wait.


	10. Dear Bucky

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just own Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 10

Dear Bucky

Getting dropped off on Asgard wasn't all too eventful, thankfully. Anna, with all of her belongings still remarkably intacs and in her possession, went straight to Heimdal to get sent home. Because he hadn't been looking for her out in the universe like he normally did with Thor, he hadn't known about anything that had gone on with her. When he'd asked her what had happened (he knew something had happened because she was in her Guardian uniform and injured), he'd apologized profusely for not having done a better job.

After assuring him she didn't blame him for anything, he sent her back to Avengers Tower, langing her on the flight platform. She practically ignored everybody she passed on her way to her room. She had plenty of time to explain to them what had happened to her later. For now, all Anna wanted to do was to get a good night's sleep.

Over the next month, while Anna worked to train after she was fully healed from the crash on Xandar, she compiled her notes into a more professional document, and wrote reports for Coulson so that when she returned to SHIELD, it would all be ready for him to view in the easiest way possible. During her free time, Anna tended to drift towards her Avengers family, though the majority of that time she aided in searching for information on her missing husband.

One thing she hadn't exactly expected was to spend as much time with Clint as she had. Anna had, of course, known Clint for many, many years. She'd met his wife and his two children, though not as much as she would've liked. Laura was an unbelievably sweet woman, with the tolerance of a saint for having to put up with her husband in this line of work. She was practically raising their children on her own, and she put up with having to move out of the blue after Clint had gotten mind controlled by Loki.

It was an incredible secret that only Nat and Anna knew about amongst the Avengers. It was for their own safety. But when Anna and Clint were alone, she'd ask him about his family. She swore that man was never more happy than when he was with, or talking about his family.

"Think you'll have more kids?" Anna asked him, kicking up her feet as she drank a beer on the common room couch. Clint had brought it to her when he found her sitting alone in there with nothing on the tv. They casually talked for a bit before Anna asked him this question.

"Laura and I have been talking about it a little lately, but who knows," he said. "Those two rugrats run us ragged as is."

"They take after you," she chuckled. "You're a pain in the ass."

"I resent that," he begged to differ.

"No, you resemble that," Anna corrected. "You're a good dad though. A lot better than mine was, that's for sure. They're lucky to have you."

"You think you want kids?" Clint asked.

Anna coughed on her drink. "Me?" she asked.

"Yeah, you're great with mine," he said. "And I've seen you with other people's kids. You think you want them?"

It was a good question. "Honestly, I never really thought about it," she answered. "I always kinda saw myself doing this forever, and I didn't exactly want kids to go through what I went through. I enjoyed it, but that didn't mean it was the right thing to have done. And my parents weren't really very good at that part of their job."

"That doesn't mean you'll be like them," Clint said. "Trust me. When you grow up with the example of what you don't want, it makes you want to be the opposite for your own kids."

"I mean, I love kids," Anna said. "And I guess I'm not against the idea, but, I mean, the only person I could think of ever wanting to have kids with would be-"

"Bucky."

"Yeah," Anna said, biting the inside of her mouth. It was a nervous habit she'd somehow picked up in the last couple weeks. "Who knows if he'd even want me if we found him. Or if he'd even want the same thing."

"You ever think about what you'd say to him _when_ you do see him again," he said.

The emphasis on his words hadn't gone unnoticed. "Hell no," Anna laughed. "I barely even believe it and I lived it. It's not like you can just say, "Oh hey, I'm a time traveling spy that married you because she thought you were going to die so why the hell not?" Yeah, that's go over so well."

"Maybe try writing it down," he said. "Sometimes it's easier to compose it that way. Just think about it."

* * *

 _Dear Bucky,_

 _I'm going to write this letter as if you've come to remember everything in your life. Whether or not you do, or if you ever even read thing is another story, but this is something I need to do. Dealing with emotions hasn't always been my strong suit. So for once I'm going to try and take a set in the right direction for myself. And if it helps you too, then I couldn't be happier._

 _The first thing I should do, before I explain everything is apologize. I'm so sorry for what happened. Bucky. The situation we were in was incredibly difficult, and whether or not I made the right decision in the end could be debated. But what's done is done. For fear of chancing history beyond repair, I did what I did, or let it happen rather. It broke my heart to think I let you die, but it's shattered me to find out that Hydra found you and did what they did to you._

 _Perhaps the concept of time travel won't surprise you, or see as far fetch with everything that you've been through, but that's how I originally arrived back in the 1940's. Meeting you was purely coincidence, despite the face that I knew Steve in our present time. Steve made no indication that he knew me back then, as to not confuse me seeing as it hadn't happened yet. Which trying to explain is even more confusing._

 _Everything I did was to make sure history didn't change, and so that I could get me and my men back home safely. Falling in love with you was never part of the plan. I knew you would die. I didn't know exactly when, but I did know you would. I couldn't stop it. I didn't know how, and I couldn't risk the future. I hope you understand. I tried what I could._

 _Because I knew what would happen I vowed to try and make what life you had left was the happiest. And you made me the happiest woman in the world. You showed me a love I never knew I could feel. I owe you so much, and I feel as if I gave you so little. I only hope you feel the same as I do. I love you, Bucky._

 _I miss you so much. I wish you would come home. Though, you probably don't know where that is. For me, home is where the heart is, and you will forever hold that. But if this isn't the case for you, all I want is for you to try and live on and be happy. You deserve the world and more._

 _I don't expect you to be the same person I married all those years ago. Hell, I'm not the same woman. But for me, you are still my Bucky. You will forever be my Bucky. What you've done, what you've been through doesn't change any of that._

 _And as hard as it is to believe, I know exactly how you feel. I was manipulated by a man once into doing some very terrible things. People died. People I cared about died by my hand because I was under that person's control. The thing about being under mind-control, the part nobody talks about is that you're still in there. Some small piece of you is awake watching everything you do. It's like being a passenger in your own body. And no matter how much you try to break free, you lose to that controlled part of your brain that doesn't belong to you anymore. And it happens over and over again. And it makes what you do feel so much worse because you're forced to do it, but they make you want to want to do it._

 _It took me a very long time to come to terms with what happened. As much as it feels your fault, it isn't. I can't tell you that enough. It is not your fault. You need to learn to forgive yourself for what you did. But that is something you need to learn to do on your own._

 _I've been looking for you, but I know that if you don't want to be found, there is no finding you. If that's what you want, I can't stop you. I won't stop you. I want you home, but I don't even know if you could even forgive me for everything that's happened. If you can't, I understand._

 _You never think that the last time is the last time. You think there will be more. You think you have forever, but you don't._

 _Forever yours,_

Anna

* * *

 **I might do some more letters to Bucky if anybody is interested in those. If people want to see some specific things said or done in there as well, just let me know and I'll see if it fits. I just thought since Bucky's not around yet this might be a good way to incorporate something involving him. On another note, I also really enjoyed writing some one-on-one Clint/Anna time.**

Thanks to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **Thunderstrike16** _\- I don't think I'll be doing it, but that doesn't mean there won't be contact between them. There's already so much from here until Civil War, and I'm very anvious to get to a reunion between the happy couple.

 _ **Jedi Jesla777**_ \- I know, I tend to say "Lord help us" all the time. (Usually because of my dad lol). I never thought about Rey and Goose meeting, but that's definitely something to think about. And the "pager" It's not exactly the same, but it is similar. Just much more modern, since it's been like 20 years sine CM gave it to Fury and between GoTG. It's a cross between that, and one of those older slide phones.

 _ **S. Arke** _\- It's always been my goal to try and make sure everything that is cannon is cannon here too unless absolutely necessaary to change it. Unfortunately, there is always going ot be some typoes and misspellings in my stuff (I blame the dislexia), but I do hope to go back and replace the chapters with fixed works. Eventually. Right now I"m more concerned with getting chapters written ahead of time since I'm moving next month. I've currently gotten all of this month and next months updates written, but I want to get more done. I'm so happy you like the story though!


	11. Heavy is the Head

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just own Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 11

Heavy is the Head

"I hear you're a busy man lately," Anna said, relaxing in the chair across from the wooden desk Coulson sat behind. "How's recruitment going?"

Phil had always been an overworked man. It was just who he was. If there was something he could be doing, he was doing it. SHIELD had been his life for so long, just like Anna, so it was no surprise how much he was working now that he was Director of the fractured organization.

"Could be going a lot better," he answered. "Why don't you give me the rundown of your alien notes?" he asked, though he had very detailed information from the file Anna had handed him upon entering their meeting in his office.

"Well, there are a whole lot of blue alien species out there, let me tell you," Anna said. "Asgard's library was helpful in getting some of the species, but not so much so in Terran- I mean Earth history of visitors. Earth was under Asgard protection for a long time, remember. Odin got rid of the Frost Giants for us.

"I narrowed the information in there down to humanoid species, seeing as you gave me a description of the one you guys found from the experimentation. Pheragots are really big and strong, but are generally gentle giants. Frost Giants were taken out. It could be Interdictions, or Sarks. They both look pretty similar. Sarks just don't have yellow eyes and have pointed ears."

"No, it wasn't those," Phil said. "This thing was tall, and muscular, but not overly so.

"So it really just leaves three," Anna said. "Levians looks look human except for their skin. Now, from what I take it, their home planet was rich with resources, but didn't exactly protect them, so their world turned into a disaster zone. In order for the survival of their species, they moved everyone onto a ship called the Levianon. They're still a disaster from what I hear though. They might've been the ones here, but with everything going on with them, and living on the ship, chances are there would've been a whole lot more of them here now.

"I didn't find too much on Centaurians - which have nothing to do with the mythical Centaurs by the way. All I could find was that they were blue, and that they'd been experimented on at some point in history.

"Lastly, and this is the best one," Anna said. "Is the Kree. Now these guys are jackasses. While I was up there, this one guy, Ronan, tried to destroy a whole planet because of a grudge between his people and the Nova Corps. But that's another story for after the report."

Anna sat forward in her chair as she got into her story. "The Kree are a very scientifically technologically militaristic race. They part of the Kree Empire, so interstellar imperialism is kinda their forte. And from what I read, Asgardians detest the Kree. Like if they could wipe them out like Loki did with the Frost Giants, I wouldn't be surprised if they would."

"So the Kree?" Phil said. "Did you happen to get anything else on them?"

"Not really," Anna said. "I really only had one day of research when I got kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" Phil asked. "Is that why you were gone so long?"

"Absolutely," Anna said. "Got kidnapped by traffickers that temporarily took away my ability to speak, so when the truck we were in got raided, they thought we were illegally trying to cross into another planet. I got sent to prison by the Nova Corps for resisting arrest and assault and stuff," Anna explained. "Then, made friends with the daughter of a genocidal maniac, Gamora, who is really concerning, by the way. I'll need to keep getting updates on Thanos's activities from them. But yeah, we made a deal, and then that deal brought in Rocket Raccoon, Peter Quill - half human by the way - Drax the destroyer -who tried to kill Gamora for revenge, but we talked him out of that, and Groot, rest his soul. Sort of, I think he's regenerating nicely.

"But yeah, we broke out of prison, went to sell this orb, which is one of the same things that the Aether - that stuff the Dark Elves wanted, Loki's Sceptre, and the Tesseract are made from. They're called Infinity Stones. And we had to stop Ronan from destroying a world after he stole it from us.

" _Don't forget me."_

"Oh, and I kinda have a alien friend that tagged along with me," Anna said. Anna reached behind her and opened the palm of her hand so Rey could step into it. "This is a Devox. They're an endangered species. Saved him from the Collector back on Knowhere. He's sticking with me. And if you see me talking to him, it's because he can share his thoughts with me."

Rey jumped off of her hand and walked across the top of Phil's desk. Once he got to Phil's front, he turned, lightly slapping Phil in the face with the long fluff of the three tails. It wasn't like a normal slap, just like one a dog or cat may do on accident. Rey's, however, was anything but.

"Be nice," Anna told him as she held out her hand for him to jump back into. She let him crawl up her arm and rest back into the hood of her jacket.

Phil seemed completely shocked. Whether or not it was from the whole story of what happened while Anna was in space, or because she had an alien pet sitting right there on his desk, she didn't know. It was most likely all of it, though.

"...You wrote all this down," Phil said, looking into the second file.

"Yes, because it's just that unbelievable," Anna said. "I knew it'd be a lot to take in, so I made sure to write a detailed report for you to look it over later when things calm down."

"That's appreciated," Phil said. "The person that trained you trained you right."

"You trained me," Anna said with a deadpan expression.

"You don't say," he said.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. "I can see you're fidgeting and drawing with your fingers on your desk. Nothing's helped with the symbols?"

"No, ,and it's getting worse," Phil answered, his voice filled with shame and fear. It was definitely something he didn't like to let other people see. "Skye hasn't found anything yet, and the urge to carve is just getting stronger every day."

"And it's still just the three of us that know?" Anna went on. "You, me, and May?"

"And it's going to stay that way," Coulson said.

"Anything you need," Anna said, nodding in concern. "I'll be sticking out to help out. Steve and Sam got the Bucky hunt covered, and I can use the resources here when I get downtime, but you could use the help."

"You have no idea how relieved I am to here that," Phil said, letting a rare grateful smile grace his lips. "You're one of the only people I trust to help run things around here. And this so many people gone…"

"I've got your back, Phil," Anna said.

"Thank you," he said. "And after the mission we just had, I think the others will appreciate having a familiar face around."

"Why, what happened?" Anna asked, sitting on the edge of her seat.

"An op we just had. It was a make it or break it moment," Phil said. "We sent in agents to retrieve the 0-8-4, the original - not even Fury knew what it could do, and to get a quinjet. One of our agents picked it up and, let's just say it didn't end well. I've got two agents down, we lost the 0-8-4, and we still have General Talbot up our asses."

"The one that Peggy got? The one that kills people that touch it?" Anna asked.

"You know what it does," Phil said, surprised.

"I was there when we obtained it. We got it from the last Hydra compound. It was the only artifact we found that we wouldn't let anybody near, not even Howard Stark. Especially not Howard. But that guy I told you about, Werner Reinhardt, he's the _blue angel_ guy. He's the same one that was running that facility. I'm telling you, worst Nazi-Hydra scientist you could ever encounter."

"I'll have to check the files from when you were in the 40's," Coulson said.

"Do you need any help?" Anna asked.

"No, go get settled in, Agent Barnes. Say hi to Skye. She'll introduce yourself to everyone."

"Will do, Director," Anna said.

* * *

On the way down the stairs from Coulson's office, Anna met Agent Melinda May. She smiled and gave a nod in acknowledgement. "Hello, May," Anna greeted.

"Anna," May said in surprise. "I wasn't aware you were back."

"Just briefed Coulson," Anna said. "I'd take it easy on him. He seems a bit…" the two met each other finally on the stairs, " _stressed_ , if you know what I mean. I think he's pushing his timeline a little too far."

May nodded. "Thank you," she said. "It's good to know he has someone else looking out for him."

"He always will," Anna said, playing her hand on May's shoulder. "I'll see you later. I expect a spar."

"You mean getting your ass handed to you."

"We'll see about that."

* * *

Anna never thought she'd have two homes, though that was using the word 'Home' rather loosely. If she had to pick one place where she felt more at home she'd have said Avengers tower. But at least here, at the new SHIELD HQ, Anna had Phil back. And with things looking up with their relationship, it gave her some hope for the future.

The style of her room here, with it's warm brick walls and a large window looking out over trees - she managed to snag one of the surface level rooms, on the same floor as Coulson's office, but requiring a separate staircase to enter. There wasn't too much inside. She had the bed, a standard gray comforter and white pillows she'd purchased cheaply. A wooden dresser was against the wall with the door where she unpacked some clothes and her old uniforms. Lastly, there were a few pictures she'd copied to place about the room. Some were with the Avengers, casually lounging about Avengers Tower during her recovery after SHIELD fell. Others were much older. She'd scanned her photos from back in the 40's and had some in her room at the Tower, and now had some here on display for her own remembrance.

Rey was curled up in a fall on her bed, his head propped up on his tail as he watched her move things around the way she liked it.

" _What's the point of all this?"_

Anna glanced back at him as she heard him in her head. It took a great deal of getting used to, but she supposed it wasn't so surprising to hear his voice anymore. "The point of what?" she asked.

" _All this stuff. You don't need it."_

"You mean the pictures?" She asked, holding up the frame of her and Bucky as they kissed after their "I Do's". She smiled down at it, remembering how torn she'd been when he'd asked her that big question, and how simple it was to go along with it. Because she loved him. So much more than she had ever realized. "They're reminders."

" _But you remember them anyway without them."_

"Sometimes you need physical things to remind you. Memories sometimes go away," she answered. "Plus, they're pretty to look at."

" _Speak for yourself."_

"I _am_ speaking for myself." Anna rolled her eyes and set the frame on the dresser.

" _I'm hungry."_

"Then go hunt rats or something. You can take care of yourself."

" _Why, I'd nev-"_ Rey's nose twitched, and he sat up. " _Fine._ " He got up and trotted away, pushing the door that had been left a crack open far wider than he necessarily needed.

 _Drama queen_ , Anna thought, rolling her eyes again.

"Knock, knock."

The familiar voice got Anna to smile. She turned to the open door, and there stood someone she hadn't seen in months. "Tucker," Anna greeted. "It's good to see you."

"You too," he greeted. Tucker entered the room and opened his arms to welcome the girl into a hug. "You wanna grab something to eat?"

"Absolutely," Anna said, taking his arm as they left the room. Anna made sure to close and lock the door behind her. It may be a SHIELD base, but she didn't trust everyone in it. Only select few personnel, like the man beside her.

He lead her downstairs back to the common area where several boxes of pizza sat. They'd ordered in several since it'd been a hard couple of days, Anna took it. Losing two good agents was never easy, and pushing through to keep working was always even harder. Cooking was never a priority for Agents.

Skye was sitting on the couch with one of her legs tucked under her with a slice of pizza in her hand. She smiled and she spoke to one of the largest men Anna had ever seen in person. He was tall, muscular, and devastatingly handsome. Another familiar face, Trip, sat across from them with his feet up on the coffee table. There was one other man sitting there. A white man with sandy hair and a scruffed face.

The white male, who apparently was British, spoke up first when he saw Tuck walk in with her. "What's the deal, mate? I thought you swung for the other team." This caught the attention of the other three, so now all eyes were on them.

 _So Tuck came out of the closet publically,_ Anna figured. _Good for him_.

"I do," he answered. "Doesn't mean I can't be a gentleman for a lady."

"We all know Anna's no lady," Skye said. She sat up and moved over a bit to make some room for Anna on the couch.

"I should be offended," Anna said, taking a slice of pepperoni pizza before sitting down in the new spot for her. "But I'm not."

"Come on, girl," Trip said. "I've seen you clean up nice. You can be a lady when you want."

"Tricks of the trade," she said before taking a bite into her pizza.

"Anybody care to introduce us?" The Brit asked.

"Right," Skye said. "That's Hunter," she introduced the Brit, "and this is Mack."

"Nice to meet you both," Anna said.

"And this is Little Miss SHIELD herself, Agent Anna Carr," Trip said. "I trained with her brother. He was a good man."

"It's Barnes now, actually," Anna corrected.

"Well I'll be," Trip said. "Never thought I'd see the day."

"Congratulations, marriage is hell," Hunter said.

"Ignore him," Mack said. "How long have you been married?"  
"Oh uh," Anna hesitated. She seriously had to do the math for that one. "In December it'll be our seventieth anniversary."

That made everyone stop. It was hilarious to see their cogs turning as they tried to figure out how a woman that didn't look like she was even in her mid twenties yet could be married for so long.

"Bullshit. I call bullshit," Hunter said.

"She forgot to mention she got married in 1944," Tuck said. "I was there."

"Wait, so the stories of you guys going back in time are true?" Mack asked. "I just thought you guys were pulling a prank on me."

"No, it happened because of an 0-8-4," Anna said. "Went back in time, had to stay there for a few years. Got married to a man I thought was gonna die. You know, make what little time he had left count, and whatnot."

"What she didn't account for was that Hydra would get him and turn him into one of the deadliest assassins the world's ever known," Tucker muttered. Anna gave him a glare and he shrugged. "Sorry, was I not supposed to say anything?"

"You telling me you're married to _that_ Barnes?" Skye said. " _Thee_ Winter Soldier? Bucky Barnes, Captain America's best friend?"

"Sure," Anna said, taking another bite. "We can change the subject now since nobody's gonna know what to say."

"Well, uh..." Skye fumbled.

"Did I ever tell you about the time Clark and I went undercover in Osaka?" Trip asked.

"No, that's gotta be good," Anna said, excited for the topic change, and for a story of her brother. It was a nice change of pace.

When Anna retired back to her room for the evening, she found Rey curled up on the bed with a rounded tummy, indicated that he'd feasted while he was gone. Careful not to disturb him as she got into bed, Anna was hopeful of the work she could do here. Even if it was just for a little while.

* * *

 **Hope you guys get caught up on the second season of SHIELD for the next several chapters. Also, this week has been really hectic with my move. I moved everything but my clothes to the apartment, and I stayed there one night with my BF, but now i have to come back home for the rest of this week and next week to dog sit for my neighbors. So there's so much going on around here. But also exciting.**

Thanks go to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **Patishlebish**_ \- Yes, there will most definitely be a dedicated chapter to Bucky reading the letters. Not like rehashing every little thing written in them, but there will be his thoughts, especially his time after leaving Hydra, etc.

 _ **Jedi Jesla777** _\- Clint is just such a good guy, and being a dad, he's kinda of a friend AND father figure for Anna without going to the extent of Phil, or I guess arguably Tony. No prob on the description. It's honestly not too important on what it looks like, as much as the importance of what it does.

 _ **shizzlethis1** _\- I promise he will most definitely get a chance to read the letters.

 _ **Murphy**_ -YOU'RE the gem! Your review was so nice, and long story-telling like reviews are what I live for. It's pretty much exactly how I review stories that I like, and that is also very few. (But I love replying to these. It's like having a good conversation about soemthing everyone is passionate about, and it helps me understand how people are taking things, sometimes helping shape the story. So if you want to let me know what some of the plot points you don't agree with I'd love to hear them. It's all constructive). I haven't gone and even found anything new to read in a very long time because of how draining it is to try and weed through the masses for gems. But thank you so much for taking the time to read and jump into this little world. And thank you for being so understanding with the typos and spelling errors. I do want to go back and fix up the chapters at some point, but right now isn't the time. But trust me, I go back and read my stuff every so often just to help refresh my own mind (and so there aren't as many things that will get forgotten, tie up lose ends, if you follow), so I catch the things that I'd done wrong and cringe when I see them.  
This story has been my baby for so long. I started it later on in the MCU so I could help develop things to the point of trying to forshadow events to come, and to try and keep them as cannon as I could. Like, take the Solace Chronicles for example, I hate having to change some of the Sharon/Steve scenes, but I tried to only have some of the later things, like in Civil War, change with their relationship and my relationship-timeline. Cannon is cannon. If something isn't cannon that I know is, it generally really bothers me to change it. That's not always th case if I'm reading something else that is listed more towards AU, but that's besides the point. It's far easier to do cannon for this story though, as Bucky doesn't really have a shown love interest. Even with the Phil/Anna Helicarrier thing, even though Anna shot him and she thinks it's more her fault Phil died, it's still technically cannon that the stab is what really killed him. I want things as cannon, and as "real" as I can in such an unrealistic world.  
You are absolutely right on the letter topic, and you gave me some ideas for more letters! The letters, as she said in the first one, are just to help her get her thoughts out even if she doesn't end up giving it to him. She will give it to him, but that'll be it's one Bucky perspective chapter. Then there will be a talk between them about it, but that's getting ahead of myself. It's a good way for her to try and open herself more to him, to be completely exposed to him with all her feelings and thoughts out there for him to read. And there will also be a part with how he's dealing with everything, so no worries! Anyway, hope you're still enjoying the ride!


	12. Making Friends and Influencing People

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just won Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 12

Making Friends and Influencing People

Having people to train with that weren't super powered individuals was really refreshing. Sure, Anna had trained with Natasha, and even Clint when he was around the Tower - which understandably wasn't all too often unless there was a mission. But Nat was generally off doing her own thing, or even more surprisingly lately, hanging around Dr. Bruce Banner in their spare time. Steve was Anna's primary sparring buddy, and though it definitely made her a much better fighter in the long run, it got tiring knowing that your opponent had to hold back his punches so he wouldn't shatter your jaw, or snap a rib that would puncture a lung.

It was nice to have relatively normal people (because let's face it, spies weren't normal) invite her to hang out and practice shooting with them. That's where Anna found herself. She stood in a simple black tee-shirt and jeans with the noise canceling headphones on her head, goggles over her eyes, and gun in hand firing away at a piece of paper that was supposed to be a dangerous threat.

Skye was in the booth neighboring Anna with May instructing and supervising her training. Come to learn, May was Skye's SO now that she was a field agent. After Ward was found a traitor, and Coulson created the new SHIELD, Skye continued training under her. And she couldn't have had a better mentor. Unless it was Phil, but Anna was bias.

Anna set her gun down and took the rest of her gear off as her time ended. She stepped back and leaned against the table behind them to check out Skye's handiwork. She wasn't bad. She was greatly improved from when Anna had met her what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"I imagined they were all Ward," Skye clarified as they studied the results of her shooting.

"Imagine they're all targets," May corrected. "Don't get cocky. This is step one. It's all about controlling your body and your body." Skye had joined in quoting what obviously May recited to her quite often. She shut up when May continued to press though. "In the field, you need to maintain control whatever the situation - hostages, bombs about to go off…"

"So what you're saying is what I just did is puny and sad?" Skye asked.

May grabbed Skye's wrist and checked her watch. Anna had to crane her neck better to see what was going on. "Sixty-one beats per minute. Consistent the whole time." It was one of those fitness watches. "Not that puny."

Anna scoffed. "That's about as good of a compliment as you're gonna get from her, Skye," Anna said. "She means well, she just knows you have a lot to offer. She was the same way with me when I was growing up. But really, you did good. Even I still have a hard time keeping my heartrate down. Meditating and stuff never was my strong suit."

May walked over next to Anna and picked up a sniper rifle off the shelving rack. Skye looked up from her watch and furrowed her brow. "Speaking of not puny…"

"Yeah, I want you to get used to this," May said. "It's a sniper rifle."

"Pardon me," Hunter said, pushing a cart down the hall with Mack trailing next to him. They paused once they made it to the group of women. "Uh, just one quick question for both of you. You two went to SHIELD academy, right?"

"You didn't," May said. "If you did, you would've known better than to shoot us."

"I'm missing something here, but I'm gonna ignore it," Anna laughed.

"Apology number four hundred seventy. I am very sorry, Agent May," Hunter said.

"Don't be sorry," she said. "Just wait."

"Uh, we just have a little wager. So did you?" Mack asked.

"Go to the academy? Yeah, no," Skye answered.

Hunter dramatically sighed and collapsed onto the cart. Mack handed him his clipboard and looked smug in triumph. "All right, well, have fun with inventory. And remember, Koenig likes them neat. And none of those Euro sevens with the lines through them. Drive him crazy."

"Hold up, I still have a chance," Hunter said, causing Mack to pause in his step. "Agent Barnes here hasn't answered."

"I didn't go to the academy either," Anna said.

"You were my last hope, you know that? Now that's gone," he groaned. He stood up straighter again and turned to Skye. "Coulson said you were a field agent with a badge and everything."

"More like a work study thing," Skye clarified. "Badge I had for like a day before SHIELD _booom_." She made the exploding noise and everything.

"You know Hartley, se loved her blades. Hated guns. Idaho, if on a job someone ended up dead, he'd go to church and light a candle. Said it balanced the karma. See, I knew them. What they do, not do. So, us bein workmates and all…"

"You're wondering if I've ever taken anyone out," Skye finished.

"Have you?" Hunter pressed.

"Not that I know of," Skye answered.

"What about you? What's your story?" Hunter asked, turning to Anna. "They call you Little Miss SHIELD, after all. What's that about?"

"My parents were agents," Anna said. "I was born to help with undercover missions and whatnot, so I've been in the business my whole life. Never went to the academy, but my CO was Coulson, and I've trained under May, Romanoff, Barton."

"So that's why they call you that," he said. "Because you're like the poster girl for SHIELD."

"Yes," Anna said. "Only thing I've ever really known. Have a hard time seeing myself doing anything else." Anna pushed off the table and put her gun away. "And yes, I've taken people out, if you must know."

She left him with that.

* * *

A short while later, Anna was called into Coulson's office for a mission briefing with Skye, Hunter, May, Mack and Fitz. This was really the first time Anna had gotten to see Fitz since her arrival back at SHIELD since after everything went down. Last time she'd been there, Fitz was still in the hospital recovering from oxygen deprivation because traitorous Ward threw him and Simmons into the Ocean. Fitz figured out how to get them out, but with only Oxygen for Simmons.

He was doing far better than Ann would have expected, but he wasn't the same Leopold Fitz she'd come to know and love. She was just grateful that he was alive.

This was also the first mission she was getting officially put on since joining the new SHIELD. Her trip to Asgard wasn't a secret, but why specifically wasn't exactly declassified. She could tell people she was doing research on alien species, but not which one had been found on Earth and used in Phil's body to revive him - and come to find out, Skye. But Skye wasn't reacting the way Phil and Garrett had, so she was under strict observation from Phil and May.

On the tablet she was issued, Anna could see an Index Profile. The Index was what SHIELD used to use to list gifted individuals, or individuals that could be a threat, or asset, for SHIELD. People like the Avengers were on it. People like Donnie Gill.

Donnie Gill had been a student at the SHIELD Academy of Science and Technology when a device he created backfired and caused him to have the ability to freeze anything through touch. That, in combination with genius level intelligence, he would be valuable. Or dangerous.

"Most case scenario, Hydra is looking for another weapon. From what we've been able to put together Donnie Gill had limited powers when he entered the Sandbox," Phil informed them.

"While there, he was taught to control, amplify those powers," May said.

"Lovely, and who, exactly, do we have to thank for that?" Hunter asked. "SHIELD of Hydra?"

"Doesn't change the fact that it happened," Anna muttered. "Says here he wasn't a bad kid. There wouldn't have been too many red flag for helping him learn to control his powers. Plus, less chance of an accident with others."

"Right. And your guess is as good as ours," Phil said. "Hydra had agents embedded at the base. Explains how they took it so quickly."

"A friend of mine was stationed there," Mack said. "He said it got bad fast."

"Is that when Gill escaped?" Trip asked.

"I don't know," Phil said. "What I _do_ know is that Creel wasn't an isolated incident. I've been told Gill is next on Hydra's wish list."

"Told by who?" Fitz asked.

"I have a source," Phil answered.

"A source you trust?" Trip pressed.

"Very much so," Phil answered. "Now, I want us to bring Gill in before Hydra gets their hands on him. Fitz, you know him better than any of us. Got anything to help us narrow the search?"

"Um, well," Fitz stammered. Being on the spot made him uncomfortable. "The la- the last time that I saw him, he was, um…"

"Angry? On Drugs? Uh, friendly? Sleepy?" Mack tried to prompt.

"Yeah!" Fitz said.

"Sleepy?"

"No, what, the one, go back one," Fitx stammered.

"Friendly?"

"Friendly, uh, um, no, he had trouble making friends," Fitz corrected himself. He looked rather disappointed with how long it took for him to get that information out of his mouth.

May sighed. "Anything else?"

"I don't know," Fitz said, agitated by the probing. "Maybe ask Jemma if you have a contact number for her."

"Okay, and if you think of anything..." Phil said.

"Yeah, we'll work on it," Mack said.

"May, you lead the search to find Gill. Let me know as soon as you have something."

"Scan satellite feeds for any temp-"

"Shouldn't skye be here?" Fitz interrupted.

"She's working another angle," May answered.

* * *

A little while later May came back in with information on the whereabouts of Donnie Gill. " _Meribel del Mar_. Anchored in the port of Casablanca. It's a privately owned cargo ship. Supposed to cast off this morning, but didn't. It's frozen in ice," May said.

"Iceberg in the Middle East? Gill's not subtle." Trip said.

"Trip, how long till you can get the Bus in the air," Phil asked.

"Fifteen, tops," he answered.

"You heard him. You've got fifteen minutes to gather your gear," Phil ordered.

Anna got up from her chair, far less comfortable ones than the Helicarrier had, and moved towards the door to go get changed and to grab her gear. She halted when Hunter spoke up.

"Excuse me," Hunter said, stopping everything. "But Gill wasn't hard to track. If Hydra is looking for him, they'll find him."

"The Asset said that Hydra would be ready to take him out if they couldn't capture or recruit him," Skye said.

"Which is why we have to beat them to it," May said.

"I'll coordinate from the bus. Down to fourteen minutes. Let's get moving."

* * *

Anna hadn't been on the Bus too many times before, but it was still a little odd to her. It was like being in someone else's home. Anna was technically a part of this team, but this plane had been the HQ for Phil's original team. A team Anna hadn't been brought in on. She didn't want to be petty and admit she felt left out, but it was try. She was there now, but the plane itself was a reminder of the separation that was now dividing Anna and Phil.

The girl sighed and primarily stuck to herself as she put on her parachute towards the door. She could hear Hunter helping Skye get settled with her chute behind her. "Your first jump?" Hunter asked Skye.

"Second," she answered. "First was with Coulson and Lola." Hunter gave her a quizzical look, so she went on to explain. "It's a car. It flies. Yeah, it's my first."

"He took you out in Lola?" Anna gaped. "Damn, I've been trying to get him to do that with me for years…"

"It's okay to be scared," he told her.

"I'm not scared."

Anna rolled her eyes, thankful that had back was to them so they couldn't see. From how quickly she answered, and the defensive tone of her voice, she wasn't fooling anybody.

"Well, maybe you should be. I packed your chute and according to my ex, my folding skills are abysmal. Nice thing is, this is as scary as it gets. Once you jump, physics takes over."

"Yeah, I'm good, thanks."

Phil and May came out joined them. May already suited up for their jump. "Trip says two minutes out," May said. She walked over to the control panel and hit the release button for the door.

"Remember, Donnie Gill is a gifted. He could be a formidable weapon on either side. Let's make sure it's ours," Phil told them one last time before Anna jumped followed by May, Skye, and Hunter.

* * *

 **The boat, for the most part, was rather quiet as they made their way up to the top deck before going inside. Before they could head down, two guards came out of the porthole. May was the quickest to act and took them out.**

May was the one to report back in the current status of their mission. "Coulson, we're not alone."

"Not what I hoped, but not unexpected," he told them. " _Proceed. Let me know when you have eyes on Gill."_

"Copy that," May said.

"Skye, you cover the door," Hunter instructed.

"You don't give the orders, Trainspotting," she said.

"I'm not _Scottish_."

"Skye, protect the exit route," May officially ordered. "Barnes, keep an eye on the deck."

"Roger that."

Anna just nodded and headed down to the main deck. Her job wasn't to take out everyone in cite yet, not that there was really anybody out on the deck anyway. There were a few frozen individuals that were clearly dead, but other than that, Anna was left on the deck alone and in the shadows.

" _May, Hunter, do either of you have eyes on Gill?"_

" _Not yet."_

" _Target is talking to Hydra,"_ Hunter answered.

" _End that conversation. Now."_

" _Copy that."_

Anna could distantly hear shots going off. She glanced over at the door from her hiding place, her Icer, in hand, though she was itching to use Jern Slange more than anything. She was too used to her Asgardian weapon. She never thought she'd prefer anything other than her gun - besides hand to hand sparing.

" _What am I hearing?"_

" _Agent May shot me,"_ Hunter said.

 _Come again?_ Anna thought, arching a brow. _I mean, I could see you getting on everybody's nerves, but I doubt it's to the extent of May shooting you_.

" _Repeat."_

" _May. Shot me."_

" _Simmons is here. Repeat. Simmons is on site with Hydra. Do we maintain her cover?"_

 _Jemma Simmons undercover in Hydra? Now that's surprising_ , Anna thought. _I didn't know she had it in her. Last I knew she sucked at lying, and she didn't seem like she had the skin, or nerves, for undercover work._

" _Yes. Maintain her cover."_

" _What about the primary target?"_

" _If we can't take him in, we take him out. Do you copy?"_

" _Copy that."_

" _Copy."_

Anna isn't comfortable with this. If Gill really was a true supporter for Hydra, then yes, it wasn't a good idea to just let them go. Taking him out would be the play to go with. But if he wasn't and Simmons could get him to go on their side, it was a waste of life to take him out just because. He was a human. A powerful one, yes, but he was a living breathing human. But this wasn't her call.

Anna heard a noise, and she turned her attention back to the door. It opened, and four Hydra foot soldiers walked out, followed by a man in a finely tailored suit, Agent Simmons with a cute shorter hair cut, and Donnie Gill.

"I can't move without being seen," Anna whispered.

" _I've got it,"_ Skye told her.

The man in the suit said something to Gill, but Anna couldn't hear them from her position, and he had his back to her so she couldn't attempt to read his lips. The man walked away, and Gill placed his hands on the side of the ship and started to freeze the interior.

That's when Skye took the shot. Gill fell into the water as Simons looked over the edge as his body sank. The Suited man walked back over to Simmons after what had happened. Simmons looked up and saw Skye, and in order to maintain their cover, Skye takes a deliberate shot and missed, allowing Simmons pushes the man out of the way. They quickly took their leave.

" _The threats been neutralized," Skye said. "Hydra doesn't have him."_

" _And Agent Simmons?" Trip asked._

" _Her cover's been maintained. She's safe for now."_ Their helicopter took off. " _They're leaving empty-handed, but we're not."_

* * *

 **So, kind of a filler chapter, but I wanted to have some time with the show's characters.**

Thanks fo to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

 _ **Jedi Jesla777** _\- Rey is great. I have to consciously remember he's here though, so sometimes he's not around simply because I forgot he existed. Poor thing got forgotten and by the time I got done with this chapter I was like, oh crap. So he's just doing his own thing at HQ lol.


	13. Contingency

**Disclaimer: I don't own anhing Marvel. I just own Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 13

Contingency

Avengers Tower was a lot quieter than the SHIELD HQ. Even though Anna's room at the HQ was technically considered to be her own place to retreat to, that didn't stop people from going there to get her to clarify information or to sign for things. Even when people weren't at her door, people walking by were really loud.

It was one of those rare moments where Anna had some time to breathe and lay down. She wasn't necessarily sleepy, but she'd been a wake working for more than most considered normal, so laying down for just some rest with nothing stressful to worry about was really appreciated.

" _You're lazy."_

"Everyone needs time to relax, Rey," Anna said. "You practically sleep all day, so you're one to talk."

" _I have a right to it."_

"Yeah, what did you do to deserve such luxury?" Anna asked, poking him in the nose.

Rey was silent for a while, which was rather uncommon for him when she'd asked him a question. She rolled over to face him while he was curled up on the pillow next to her. His eyes were distant. They weren't on her, but on the fabric of the pillow as he was lost in thought.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

" _As you well know, Thanos goes from planet to planet taking out half the population,_ " he went on to explain. " _He visited my home planet. He took out half of us."_

"Did you lose your family?" Anna asked, sitting up in concern.

" _Friends, but not my mate and son."_

"Still, that's horrible, Rey. I'm so sorry," Anna said, placing a comforting hand on his head.

" _Rocket brought up that my species is nearly extinct. We've been hunted for sport for a very long time, and many see us as extremely dangerous. We only attack when provoked, but that doesn't matter when people are scared."_

"So why did you come with me and not go back to your family?" Anna asked.

" _They have been gone for many years."_

"I know how it feels to love your loved ones," Anna said, laying back down. "I don't know what it's like to lose a child, but I know what it's like to lose the one you love."

" _Your husband is alive."_

"But we didn't always think that," Anna said. "We didn't know what happened to him. It wasn't until last year that we found out he was alive and brainwashed."

"I see. At least there's a chance of a reunion."

"Yeah, hopefully."

* * *

There were many times when Anna would be shocked or surprised by things that would come up from her line of work. But even though she'd have a reaction like that she'd act accordingly and do her work. It was something that was ingrained in her since she was born. You do the mission you're given.

But this, this was impossible and the indication that she'd have to do something so impossible made her shaky. Not because the physical act of doing it was, but the mental aspect of it was. There was no way in hell Anna would ever be able to do what Phil was telling her to do. She refused to do it. Absolutely refused.

Phil had wanted her to take him out if the things with the alien DNA in him turned him into a madman.

Anna had killed him once before. She was the reason he was in this situation to begin with the possibility of impending insanity. She was going to do everything in her power to make sure he made it through this thing. She'd already lost him once before. She wasn't willing to lose him again. Especially not by her own hands.

* * *

 _Dear Bucky,_

 _To say that I miss you is an understatement. Nothing should be about me when I'm talking to you, but I doubt I'll ever give you this notebook with these letters to you, so I'm going to keep going. I miss you. And I miss talking to you about things that I never really would talk about to anybody. You just always seemed to know when something was bothering me, and how to get me to open up in ways that I couldn't with others, and in a way that I really needed._

 _I sit here sorry, searching for something to say. Words fail. There's nothing I can say that will make what I did better. At least, not to me. I've done terrible things, and I got reminded of one of the worst today. I guess that's why I'm writing. Writing this out as if I'm talking to you kinda helps make me feel better._

 _You once said I was a ray of sunshine in the darkness. I think you had that wrong. That was you. But you're not here anymore, so I could curl up and hide in my room. Sob, stay in the dark. But there's no point when I know that wasn't what you'd want me to do. At least, that's what I'm telling myself. It's just hard to when nothing seems as bright anymore. My world's gone dark without your light._

 _I guess all I can say is that I'm sorry that I was the wolf in sheep's clothing._

 _I'd never had what we had before. That perfect guy that somehow could see the good and bad parts of me that wanted to stay when he could. I don't know why you fell in love with me, and I certainly don't feel like I've deserved it, but loving you has made me a better person. So thank you for letting me love you._

 _Forever yours,_

 _Anna_

* * *

 **That originally wasn't how I was going to end the chapter, but writing the Bucky letters feels really good. I've written a lot of them, and I've even pretty much decided how all that ends as well. Anyway, ENDGAME IS THIS WEEK OMG I CAN'T WAIT! *Clears throat* I'll be seeing it twice this weekend alone, so...Also sorry this was late. I legit just forgot to post it...My bad.**

Thanks fo to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

Jedi Jesla777 - He's a strong independent Alien and he don't need no human to feel validated! lol

Thunderstrike16 - I always intend to have more, and he's got some very important roles coming up, so don't worry. :)


	14. The Writing on the Walls

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just own Anna.**

* * *

Chapter 14

The Writing on the Walls

 _Dear Bucky,_

 _Things around here have been really crazy. I don't know if you know this, but after everything that happened in DC with the fall of SHIELD, a group of good SHIELD agents have come together to try and keep the organization going. When the organization fell, I was lost. I didn't know what I was going to do with myself for the first time ever. It was always just expected of me to continue on with SHIELD, as it's all I've known. I was born into it. And until it was gone I didn't know what else there was for me._

 _But it made me really think about things I never really forced myself to think about before. And in the end, I knew that this path was really the one that I wanted, and needed, to continue with._

 _But there are still things from the last organization that are coming up, and it bring such hatred to me. You working for Hydra was against your will. But for the majority of Hydra members did so willingly. One man that I considered a friend, a man that my brother respected, betrayed us and was Hydra. He recently escaped custody after we transferred him from our care to his brother that works for the government. He's currently still missing. His brother covered it up so we are currently the only ones looking for this dangerous man._

 _On top of that, we have a dead body with these strange alien writings on it that I'm currently trying to help with. But only about four of us Agents know why, and what the real reason is. I was hoping the days of these secrets would be over, but I guess that was ignorant of me._

 _But the tip of the iceberg is the fact that the man that really raised me wants me to kill him is he goes insane from one of treatments he went to save his life after I killed him under mind control. What the hell am I supposed to do with that? I'm the reason he's in this situation in the first place, so I should, technically, do whatever he tells me. But I can't be the reason he dies again. I can't be the one to do it._

 _This was just me rambling about things that don't really pertain to you, so I apologize for that. I guess it's just me trying to tell you about my day._

 _Forever yours,_

 _Anna_

* * *

Anna knocked on the office door before she let herself in. Phil and Skye both stood up cautiously when she walked in, though visibly relaxed once they saw it was only her. Skye sat back down with her laptop to continue her research, while Phil knelt back down to the ground with a pile of photographs he was spreading out to help put together pieces of their puzzle.

"Should probably keep that locked," Anna said, doing so after closing it. "Sorry I couldn't make it to the house search. Steve called with an update on a lead for Bucky."  
"Anything come of it?" Phil asked, looking up at her when he heard what exactly she had been doing. It was not only important information as the Director of SHIELD, but also because it was Anna's husband. It was pretty much his son-in-law.

"No, it fell through, but he had to let me know, at least," Anna said. Anna knelt down next to Phil, examining the layout of photos from his work and from the mystery woman's paintings. "You know, this is kinda cool looking," she admitted, handing Phil the last photo he had to place. "Aggravating that we don't know what it is, but kinda beautiful in it's own way."

"There's a lot of overlap. We were definitely working on the same design, but she has some pieces I was missing," Phil said.

"How does the carving we found in Miami fit into this?" Skye asked.

Though Anna hadn't been present during this mission, he was familiar with the details. There had been a church fire, and miraculously, the only thing that had survived was a painting with the same markings carved on the back of the wooden surface. Phil and May had gone undercover to retrieve it, but things had gone south with Hydra pretending to be people they weren't, and May getting kidnapped. Things worked out in the end for the most part, but it was a whole mess Anna had been thankful not to have been apart of.

Phil sighed and shook his head. "Whoever did it was on our wavelength." He stood up and sighed once again, looking down at the work in front of him. "There's just a few pieces missing. It's almost there."

"You were right," Skye piped up.

"On what?" Anna asked, moving to stand behind Skye to see what she was doing.

"She's SHIELD agent," Skye clarified. "Agent Rebecca Stevens. Level six."

"I wasn't working with her," Anna said, trying to see if she recognized the woman. "I was primarily in New York until I moved down here after Manhattan. You were there with me until…" She cleared her throat awkwardly and moved on past the topic her and Phil were still very uncomfortable to talk about. "Well, it had to have been before you started mentoring me. I didn't see her at all there. Then again, the place was huge."

"She was stationed at the Triskelion," Skye clarified.

"That's probably where I saw her," Phil said.

"Not recently, you didn't," Skye corrected. "According to this, she died five years ago from cancer. How is that possible?"

"Could be a number of things," Anna said. "Loki's died a couple times. Phil died. Steve was frozen. Thor kinda died and was revived when he touch his hammer again. Weather, science, magic…"

"We won't know until we perform an autopsy," Phil said.

"Don't you need a body for that?"

* * *

The body of the woman that had been murdered was brought in by Fitz and Mack. They heaved the black body bag onto the exam table, while Phil, Anna, and Skye stood on the other side watching them do so. Anna had been called in shortly after Phil got word that the two agents were on their way back from the morgue with the body, so she threw the rest of her lunch away and Rey hopped up on her shoulder to tag along with her. The two hadn't spent too much time together as of late, so it was nice to finally send some time together, even if it was while working.

" _This body looks delicious,"_ Rey told her.

Anna's face morphed to disgust. _Ew_.

Once the body was on the table, Skye finally addressed the two men across from the table. "How did you two manage to acquire a body?" Skye asked.

"You haven't been on a body run yet?" Anna asked, genuinely surprised. "Hm."

"Corpsey Diem," Fitz replied. "Seize the dead." The only one that seemed to find this amusing was Anna, who snorted.

"Like I told my man here, you want something in life, you gotta grab something and walk out like you own it," Mack said.

"That is actually really accurate to espionage work," Anna admitted.

"Is that all it takes?" Simmons asked from behind the two. She was working with a couple of the other scientists, but turned to give her full attention to them. "Really? Because I always thought that if you wanted something in life, you had to work hard and earn it." She stepped away from the lab bench and to the autopsy table. "Give me some room, please."

Simmons set down the bone saw she had in her hands and started to unzip the black body bag. She only unzipped it to just below the woman, Rebecca's, chin, to reveal the carvings of circles and lines on her forehead. Jemma and Skye were the two that looked most visibly affected by the sight before them.

For Anna, it was a sad sight to see, but she'd seen so many dead people, even so many by her own hand, that this woman was just another body. She didn't deserve what happened to her, but Anna didn't know her, so she didn't allow herself to mourn the woman. There was just too much to do for her to feel sorry for the woman before her. It wasn't going to do anybody any good to do so.

"Does she have any family?" Simmons asked.

Skye shook her head. "No one. No relatives. No kids."

"She didn't deserve this," Phil said. Anna placed her hand on Phil's back to try and comfort him. She rubbed gentle clockwise circles slowly to try and keep him grounded.

"Is anything coming back to you?" Skye asked.

"She was level six," Phil sid. "It should all be in my head, but it's not."

Rey jumped off Anna's shoulder and stood on the thing edge of the table where the body wasn't resting. He put one paw on the body and leaned up closer to look at the face, his little nose twitching as he sniffed. Anna gave the group an apologetic look and quickly scooped Rey up off the table and placed him back on her shoulder. _Inappropriate, Rey._

"We're going to need blood and tissue samples," Simmons told the lab tech at the station behind her. "Full CBC, and multi-element analysis. Would anybody like to leave before we get started?"

One by one, the group members raised their hand. First was Mack, then Fitz, and Skye. Lastly Phil said, "We'll stay out of your way."

"I'll let you know when I'm finished," Simmons said. The four left, leaving Anna there with Simmons.  
"I'll help in anyway I can," she offered.

There was too much at stake for Anna to get a little queasy from a little blood. There was too many horrors that really bothered her too much now. After all, she dragged a body through the forests in winter in WWII while getting shot at and chased by Hydra.

" _May I eat these remains?"_

Anna's face morphed into disgust again. "No, you may not eat her!" Anna harshly whispered back to Rey.

" _But I am hungry, an-"_

"No!"

" _After the work is done, may I eat her then?"_

"Oh for the love of…" Anna grumbled. "Sorry Jemma. I'll be back later."

Taking Rey away from the lab, Anna was left with some odd looks from Simmons and the rest of the science department.

* * *

It wasn't too long before Simmons called the team back into the lab after she'd concluded the autopsy on Agent Rebecca Stevens. Much like before, Anna, Skye, and Phil were standing on one side of the table while Dr. Simmons was on the other side ready to inform them of her findings. There were only two differences this time: Mack and Fitz weren't present, and Stevens was now resting on her stomach, showing more of the carvings drawn into her body.

"The cuts were all quite deep, but the cause of death was cardiac arrest. She died due to shock from due to the pain, not from the wounds. Very common in of type of ritualistic murders," Simmons explained.

"Ritualistic?" Skye asked.

"It has all the characteristics. The cuts are very precise, and the killer continued to carve on her long after she died, as if there was some need to complete the work. My hunch is that it wasn't the first time either. It's also not the first time we've seen these carvings. They're the same ones Garrett was making, correct?"

Just hearing Garrett's name boiled Anna's blood. Had she meet him after the fall of SHIELD before Phil took him out, she would've done so for them. Just like she wanted to do with her traitorous teammate in lockup, and like she wanted to do with Ward. Just how he could pretend to care about her, and her family, and Phil, was absolutely disgusting. It must've been how Tony felt when he found out about Anna. Hurt, betrayed, beyond furious. The only difference here was that Anna really had cared about Tony.

"Dr. Simmons, here are the reports you requested," a lab tech said, handing over a tablet with the information. While she looked those over, the group shared a knowing look, hoping Jemma wouldn't figure too much out about what was really going on.

"It's the analysis from the subjects," Simmons said.

"Subjects? Plural?" Phil asked.

"We found blood and tissue samples from a secondary source under her nails," Simmons explained. "She put up a fight." She started to look at the tablet in her hands, and her face dropped. "Oh, no. Just as I suspected. She had GH-325 in her blood."

"A Tahiti patient."

"Whoever killed her also had GH-325 in their blood."

"That's the name of what you guys have in you, right?" Anna asked. She was familiar with the fact they'd both had alien blood in them, but not all the specifics. She didn't know that the actual serum was called GH-325. And she hadn't intended for her question to be interpreted as an accusation that they were the ones responsible for what was going on.

"Don't look at me, I didn't do it," Skye said.

"No, of course, but both of you had GH-325 injections. Hypergraphia was one of the side effects they tried to treat with memory replacement. Garrett suffered from it. Apparently do does out, and they both turned into dangerous psychopaths. Have either of you two been experiencing a compulsion to write or carve?" Simmons asked.

"We're fine," Phil said. "But somewhere out there is a Tahiti patient who may be targeting all the others. We need to find him."

* * *

"The patient files were all destroyed. How would anybody be able to locate them?" Simmons asked.

"I don't know."

"How many Tahiti patients were there?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think the killer will come after the two of you?"

"I don't know."

"If you don't know anything, how are we going to fine them?"

Phil pulled out a brick from the wall to reveal a ke pad. He typed in the passcode and the wall opened up to reveal a small room with a bed with what looked like a very miniature MRI machine where the head would go.

"You're going to have to torture it out of me."

To say that the three females were extremely uncomfortable with what they were currently prepping Phil for was an understatement. Perhaps their actions were a little extreme, but there was no way they were going to put Coulson in a compromising situation without preparing for the worst case scenario. If this was going to put his life in any sort of danger, they wanted to make sure they were ready to take care of him so they didn't lose him.

Anna had never seen that sort of machine before. From what she got from the others, it was a memory device.

"Agent Barnes, can I have a word with you for a moment?" Phil asked, leading her into the hallway so that they could have a moment of privacy.

"What's up?" Anna asked, crossing her arms as she let herself relax around him.

"I don't want you to take this the wrong way, like I don't want you to be here for this, but I think it'd be best if you weren't," Phil said. From the look on her face, he continued on before she could protest. "I worry that knowing you're there might bring me to other memories…"

Other memories. The way he said it, and with it involving her, there was only one particular memory he could've been implying. That was the night she'd shot him on the helicarrier.

"Oh."

"Skye'll be there to keep me focused on what I need to find, but I think knowing you're there will keep dragging me there. I'm not saying that's the only thing I think about when we're together. I'm not. But that machine is designed to bring memories forward, things that are sensitive, and things you don't always necessarily want in the forefront."

"N-No, I get it. Really," Anna said, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. "I'll just wait in my room, then. But if anything goes wrong, have them call me in immediately, got it?"

"You got it," Phil said, giving her a tender pat on the arm before her went back into the room.

* * *

Napping was for when one had the flu, or when one was injured. Napping was for sick people that needed it. Napping was for parents that get woken up multiple times in the middle of the night by their children. Napping was _not_ for Anna Barnes. But she still found herself falling asleep while reading over some files Steve had sent her way a few days prior. She'd finally just gotten a moment to look them over, and while it was _important_ information, it was highly _dry_ information.

It wasn't until hours later that she was woken up by Phil coming into tell her the events that had happened that afternoon while she'd been asleep.

"So there were six others with the formula in their systems, plus you and Skye," Anna conclused. "And of those six, only two are alive. You went to find the innocent guy before the killer did, but long story short, you stopped him from killing him, and found out that the symbols aren't symbols, but a map of an alien city?"

"Pretty much," Phil said.

"And the compulsion is gone?"

"Completely."

"So you're okay? You're good?" Anna pressed.

"Yes, Anna, I'm fine," Phil said.

"So you were the head of this project? Project Tahiti? A way to bring an Avenger back to life if they died?" Anna went on. "And it was making everyone go insane and you still went with it? That really doesn't sound like you."

"I had it shut down," Phil said. "Gave all the people new memories so it wouldn't affect them like it was. Fury, on the other hand, decided to use it on me one last time after the Helicarrier."

"Well, it was meant to bring back an Avenger…" Anna said, giving him a pointed look.

"I'm not…"

"You are," Anna protested. "You were the glue for the Avengers, Phil. You'll just have to get use to that new title."

* * *

 **My favorite part of this was Rey wanting to eat the dead body. Is that weird? I guess...Oh well. lol Don't forget to let me know if there's anything you might want Anna to address in her letter's to Bucky.**

 **IF ANYBODY HAS SEEN ENDGAME AND WANTS SOMEONE TO TALK TO ABOUT IT PLEASE PM ME. I HAVE NOBODY THAT'S A BIG FAN TO TALK TO ABOUT IT!**

Thanks go to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

Jedi Jesla777 - Rey's precious. Kinda like having her own personal Rocket, or Groot for herself.


	15. Out of Play

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. I just own Anna and Rey.**

* * *

Chapter 15

Out of Play

Anna wasn't happy about Phil's decision to leave her behind to run things while he went out with practically everyone Anna knew at this new SHIELD to blow up the hidden underground city that the alien blood in his system had been drawing him to ever since he'd seen Garrett's carvings. She wanted to be there right with them to make sure nothing went wrong, and if it did, to make sure Hydra didn't get their hands over the control of the city.

Instead of being out there in her Guardian's uniform with Jern Slange at her thigh and an Icer on her hip, she was laying in her bed with Rey curled up on her lap with a bowl of popcorn resting next to her. SHIELD HQ was far too quiet with a lot of the agents gone. The remaining agents had their own things to do, of course, but there really wasn't a need for Anna to be there to be in charge. She supposed it was to make sure nobody took advantage of the lack of leadership on premises.

There wasn't all too much for her to do. Most of the work she normally would've been on would've been working on went with the rest of the people with Coulson. She'd already finished going over all the files and cases Steve had sent over to her - none of which really lead anywhere, it turned out. Ann didn't get bored often, but she was bored now. With radio silence from everyone, she couldn't sleep, and there was nothing she had to do to keep her mind off of the probability of things that could go wrong for this mission.

Before when she had nothing to do she was injured from her husband taking down SHIELD, and before that, Anna would spend the small amount of down time she had with the man that would become her husband back in the 40's. Bucky had been her best friend, and she definitely had a way of getting her mind of things that bothered her.

Now he was the primary thing in her mind that kept her up at night.

* * *

 _Dear Bucky,_

 _Things are both crazy busy, and incredibly slow around here today. There's a big mission going down right now, and we're racing to beat Hydra to it, but I've basically been benched for it all because the Director, my uncle, has me as Interim Deputy Director of SHIELD while he's gone with his real second in command._

 _I'm not sure if I should be honored or insulted by this._

 _Either way, I'm left here alone with basically no work to keep myself preoccupied. It used to be you that would help occupy my time when things were really bothering me. You always seemed to know just what to do and to day when I needed it. You are absolutely incredible when it comes to that. Not that you aren't incredible in a whole lot of other ways, but right now that's just what comes to mind first._

 _The way we used to just lay in that crappy cott together, that scratchy wool blanket over us, how you'd draw circles on my shoulder, or on the back of my hand while it rested on your chest. I'd trade every comfortable mattress I've ever slept on, and all the future ones just to be able to do that with you again. You're my partner, Buck. My husband._

 _God, I wish I could be wherever you are right now. You have to be going through so much, and I know there's a big chance that you'll never want anything to do with me anymore, but if there's any possible chance that you do…._

 _I just want you to know that the love wasn't a one way street. You took care of me when I needed someone the most. I wish I could just be there for you too._

 _A good friend of mine was talking to me about his family, I used to babysit for him and his wife Laura. They have two kids, but I got word that they're currently expecting a third around the end of May. I honestly don't know how they do it. He's in this line of work too, and has been practically as long as I have._

 _We never really discussed family, did we? I know you waid one of the reasons that pushed you to want to marry me was because you wanted to live each day like that last. That hopefully we'd be able to make it, and go home and have a life together. But we never specifically talked about having kids together. I most likely would've redirected the conversation so I wouldn't have to answer it, seeing as I thought I knew history…_

 _I guess if kids are in the cards for me I wouldn't be against that. I do love kids. And I do love Clint's. They're the sweetest little assholes you'd ever meet._

 _I guess that's really just if you want them, or if you don't though. Because, if you're in my cards, that's all I really ever will need._

 _I miss you so much, Buck. I hope you're taking care of yourself, and that you're doing okay._

 _Forever yours,_

 _Anna_

* * *

Things hadn't gone as planned whatsoever with the mission Phil had gone on. Not only had things been compromised by Hydra (they kidnapped Skye and Raina), and tried to shoot down May and the others in the Bus. ALl the while, Mack had gotten taken over by whatever was in the underground city and turned him into it's guard dog. Eventually, Raina and Skye got into the inner chamber with the 0-8-4 with Trip slipping in right after it got sealed. When the device activated, it caused an earthquake that rocked the whole area.

Trip hadn't made it out of their alive.

It had affected everyone pretty hard. Skye was in quarantine after getting affected by whatever happened in that room. She'd finally just been let out, and things could try to get back to normal.

* * *

 **When I finished writing this one, I realized that there are only two more chapters til Age of Ultron starts. So that's really exciting. I apologize for the long hiatus. There's been a lot going on with me lately: grandfather passing (which required a trip to California to deal with all that, plus he was a hoader like you see on tv sooo...), job applications, a friends pregnancy, boyfriend and family stuff, and you know, life. But I'm really trying to get back into the swing of things. So here is this, and the next two chapters are already written, and as I'm typing this message (a few days priar to uploading) I'll be working on the following chapters.**

Thanks to the following for their reviews ont the previous chapter:

 _ **Thunderstrike16**_ \- Hope you enjoyed Endgame!

 ** _Jedi Jesla 777_** \- See, I told you'd I was gonna update. I'm keeping to my word!

 _ **Jul**_ \- I absolutely live for long reviews, so no need to apologize for that! I love to hear what people have to say, as long as it's good, or constructive. There's never a need to be mean - not that you were. I do hope you finals didnt suffer because of me... If so, I do apologize. I do know that struggle though. I graduated from college last December. I plan on going back for Grad school next year.  
I almost never read Bucky stories, but I've always loved him so much. So, when this idea came to me to start something that followed a character from a young age as she grew in her career and the movies, I figured he'd be a really great love interest for her. After all, a lot of the things she's been through means she can relate to him on a level many people can't. And let's face it, Buck needs more people to care about him.  
I absolutely stick to the plots of the movies. I hate going too far off script. I try to just change little things like when people say "You" when I've added Anna in to make it plural, so it'd be "they." And I'll add additional dialog and whatnot. I very rarely change something that's cannon. This story will stick more to cannon than my other marvel story with Jamie and Steve as the romantic party. It'll be quite a while before this story catches up to Endgame though. I have a rule not to write the the chapter/arc of this story's movie until the following movie/movies have come out so I don't contradict something. I'd beat myself up otherwise.

 _ **Chest Fiend**_ \- I'm so glad you like the story and characters! Hope you enjoyed the update.


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